Changes in inhibins and activin secretion in healthy and pathological pregnancies

Inhibin-related proteins are involved in the control of the feto-maternal c ommunication required to maintain pregnancy. Human placenta, decidua, and f etal membranes are the major sites of production and secretion of activin A . inhibin A and inhibin B in maternal serum, amniotic fluid. and cord blood . The availability of suitable assays developed in the last years has enabl ed the measurement of inhibins and activin A in their dimeric forms, in ord er to investigate their role in physiological conditions of pregnancy. The studies conducted on inhibin-related proteins and human pregnancy suggested the possibility of an involvement of inhibin A and activin A in the pathog enesis of gestational diseases. In fact, several lines of evidence underlin e the potential role and the clinical usefulness of inhibin-related protein s measurement in the diagnosis, prevention, prognosis and follow-up of diff erent gestational pathologies such as early pregnancy viability, Down's syn drome, fetal demise, pre-eclampsia. pregnancy-induced hypertension, preterm delivery and intrauterine growth restriction. The measurement of inhibin A and activin A into the biological fluids of pregnancy will offer in the fu ture, further possibilities in the early diagnosis, prediction. and monitor ing diseases of pregnancy. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All right s reserved.