THE POSSIBLE ROLE OF SODIUM-POTASSIUM ADENOSINE-TRIPHOSPHATASE IN PRETERM LABOR

An unacceptably high incidence of preterm labour is seen in the black and coloured communities of South Africa. This hypothesis proposes tha t sodium-potassium adenosine triphosphatase activity plays an importan t role in preterm labour, The impaired activity of the sodium pump lea ds to increased cytosolic calcium levels, which may trigger contractio n of myometrial smooth-muscle cells, resulting in preterm labour.