Maternal plasma levels of 6-keto-prostaglandin f1α during pregnancy and puerperium

Abstract

To study the production of antiaggregatory and vasodilatory prostacyclin (PGI₂) during human pregnancy and puerperium, we measured the concentrations of 6-keto-prostaglandin F_1α, the stable hydration product of PGI₂ , with specific radioimmunoassay in plasma samples from 53 women between 11 and 41 weeks of normal pregnancy, 11 puerperal women 53–60 days postpartum and 20 healthy nonpregnant control women. The levels of 6-keto-PGF_1α did not change during the course of pregnancy, and the mean (± SE) levels of 6-keto-PGFduring pregnancy (255.5 + 8.7 pg/ml) or puerperium (254.7 ± 12.3 pg/ml) were not significantly different from the mean level of 277.7 ± 10.6 pg/ml in the nonpregnant control women. There was no correlation between the 6-keto-PGF_1α concentration and pregnancy week, maternal age, parity or lactation. Thus, it is evident that PGI₂, as measured by its metabolite levels in maternal plasma, does not change during human gestation.