PROLACTIN CONCENTRATIONS IN PRETERM AND TERM PREGNANCY AND LABOR

Maternal plasma and amniotic fluid (AF) were obtained for measurement of prolactin concentrations from: 1) 20 patients with preterm labor an d intact membranes who delivered within one week of amniocentesis; 2) 20 patients with preterm labor who responded to tocolysis and delivere d at term; 3) 20 women at term who were not in labor and 4) from 20 wo men in active labor at term. No significant differences were found bet ween: 1) maternal plasma prolactin concentrations in women with preter m labor who delivered prematurely and those who delivered at term (155 ng/ml vs 176.5 ng/ml); 2) patients at term who were not in labor (188 ng/ml) and those who were in labor (155 ng/ml); 3) AF prolactin conce ntrations in the two preterm labor groups (1987.5 vs 1282.5 ng/ml) and 4) AF prolactin concentration in the two term groups (562 ng/ml vs 70 1 ng/ml). Prolactin concentrations were generally significantly higher preterm than at term. We concluded that no significant changes in mat ernal plasma and amniotic fluid prolactin levels were found in preterm and term parturition.