Determination of prolactin, growth hormone, beta-endorphin, and cortisol in both maternal plasma and amniotic fluid during human gestation.

This study focuses on PRL, GH, beta-endorphin and cortisol in maternal blood and amniotic fluid during human pregnancy. Maternal blood and amniotic fluid samples were obtained from 18 normal pregnant women in the second trimester, 12 full-term gravidas having spontaneous delivery, and 10 full-term gravidas having elective cesarean section. Two gravidas bearing anencephalic fetuses in the third trimester were also studied. In the second trimester women, levels of PRL (3215.9 +/- 458.9 micrograms/l), GH (19.1 +/- 1.7 micrograms/l) and beta-endorphin (11.1 +/- 0.9 pmol/l) were significantly higher in the amniotic fluid than in maternal plasma. In addition, PRL was significantly correlated with beta-endorphin (r = 0.670) and with GH (r = 0.547) in the amniotic fluid. However, amniotic fluid cortisol levels (0.27 +/- 0.18 nmol/l) were significantly lower than plasma cortisol levels. The amniotic fluid of the women with anencephalic fetuses had normal levels of PRL, GH and beta-endorphin. In full-term gravidas, plasma PRL levels were significantly lower in women with vaginal delivery than in those with elective cesarean section, and there was a significant negative correlation between plasma PRL and beta-endorphin, and between plasma PRL and cortisol levels. Plasma GH levels in women with vaginal delivery showed no significant difference from those in women with cesarean section. Examination of amniotic fluid yielded no significant differences in the levels of PRL, beta-endorphin and GH between these two groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)