HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by JOUPPILA, P. Articles by YLIKORKALA, O. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by JOUPPILA, P. Articles by YLIKORKALA, O.

Role of Maternal Prolactin in Early Pregnancy Failure

From the Department of Obstetrics and Gynccology and Clinical Chemistry, University of Onlu and Department of Obstetrics and Gynccology, University of Helsinki, Finland.

Abstract

To study the significance of maternal prolactin (PRL) secretion in early pregnancy failures, intravenous thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) stimulation tests were carried out in 39 women with normal or doomed early pregnancy, as verified by ultrasound examination, before the onset of clinical symptoms of abortion. The basal PRL levels did not differ between the women with normal early pregnancy (N = 15), blighted ovum (N = 13), or with missed abortion (N = 11). Thyrotropin-releasing hormone injection stimulated PRL secretion in all cases, but the response was smaller (P < .01) in women with early pregnancy failure. It is concluded that PRL is not significant in the etiology or course of early pregnancy wastage and that its basal or stimulated measurement is of limited value in the prediction of pregnancy outcome.