Urinary Hydroxyproline in Pregnancy — An Index of Placental Function A Preliminary Report

Abstract

Summary: The range of total urinary hydroxyproline was determined by 71 assays on 36 women with normal pregnancies. In addition, 103 assays were performed on 58 women with complicated pregnancies. There was a gradual increase in values up to 36 weeks in normal pregnancy, with a fall towards term. In patients with placental insufficiency due to such conditions as marked hypertension and diabetes, high values were obtained in those with a successful outcome of the pregnancy, which seemed to be indicative of compensatory increased vascularity of the placenta. A lack of this rise was seen in those in whom intrauterine death occurred. It is suggested that total urinary hydroxyproline assay may be useful as an additional parameter for assessing placental function.