Hormone Levels in Amniotic Fluid and Maternal Serum in Women Who Undergo Spontaneous Abortion after Second Trimester Amniocentesis

Abstract

Second trimester spontaneous abortion occurring on the average 1.5 weeks after amniocentesis in 15 symptom-free women has been studied. Thus, hormone (total estriol, hCG, prolactin, and hPL) levels in amniotic fluid and maternal serum were compared to those in 60 women who also underwent second trimester amniocentesis but went to term without complications. The abortion group had significantly (p < 0.01) elevated levels of total estriol in maternal serum and in amniotic fluid, significantly (p < 0.01) increased prolactin concentration in amniotic fluid, and decreased (p < 0.05) hCG levels in maternal serum. It is suggested that these differences may relate to fetal adrenal stress response in the subsequent abortion group indicating an abnormality which may or may not be aggravated by amniocentesis.

Maternal Serum Levels of Estriol, Prolactin, Human Placental Lactogen and Chorionic Gonadotrophin Related to Fetal Sex in Normal and Abnormal Pregnancies

“…For prolactin, how ever, abnormal serum levels were reported in connection with hypertension during the last pregnancy weeks [7,8]. Decreased prolactin levels in umbilical blood [9] and increased levels in amniotic fluid [10,11] have also been related to fetal abnormality. However, in most reports on these issues, no consideration was given to the rela tion between maternal serum hormone levels and fetal sex.…”