[Levels of CA130 in maternal sera and amniotic fluid at various gestational ages].

We examined the CA130 concentration in the amniotic fluid, maternal sera, amnion, chorion, decidua and placenta. CA130 in the maternal sera showed an initial increase during early pregnancy, remained low from the 15th weeks of pregnancy until delivery, and then increased after term delivery (249u/ml, mean, n = 27) or mid-trimester abortions (844u/ml, n = 22). The CA130, concentration in the amniotic fluid was high in the mid-trimester and remarkably low at term. Among the tissues examined, amnion and decidua contained a relatively high concentration of CA130. Immunohistochemical examination also demonstrated abundant CA130 in the cytosol of amnion and decidua tissues. The pattern of changes in CA130 in amniotic fluid was similar to that in the amnion and decidua tissue. The results suggest that the amnion cells are the source of CA130 in the amniotic fluid and that the high concentration of CA130 in maternal serum after delivery originates in decidua tissue affected by the separation of the placenta.