Anti-cancer organization.
C G Pantin · Journal of Clinical Pathology · 1971
The Association of Clinical Pathologists: 86th general meeting than 36 weeks, separately or together, are of serious import has been confirmed and amplified by recent studies.During the last six weeks of gestation the foetus grows rapidly, but the placenta does not.The most important measure of placental function is thus the continuing growth of the foetus.Purely placental parameters would be useful if their variation were to precede demonstrable foetal damage.A number have been studied.For several years we have used output of oestriol in 24-hr urine.This substance is finally elaborated by trophoblastic enzymes from dehydroepiandrosterone produced in the foetal suprarenal.Examples of the use of this to foretell slow growth of the foetus will be given and some pitfalls discussed, also its significance in conditions inimical to the foetus such as maternal hyper- tension or pre-eclamptic toxaemia.More recently we have tried to use the output of oxytocinase (aminopepsidase) produced by trophoblast alone.A series is presented to confirm norms for this and to compare it with oestriol output in com- plicated pregnancies.The mean level of oxytocinase output varieswidelyfromcase to case, so it is even more important to establish a trend over several weeks than for oestriol.Since foetal tissues are not involved, early trouble in the foetus is not revealed, but what can be interpreted as early placental failure has been demon- strated.As in all similar recent studies this is often unconfirmed since, if in doubt, the obstetrician may terminate pregnancy as soon as the foetus is mature enough to risk this and the biochemistry is only one factor in making his decision.