[A pregnancy without detectable human placental lactogen (hPL)].

During a pregnancy of a 35 year old woman, we could not detect HPL in the peripheral serum, whereas other hormones showed normal values. Fetal growth ceased in the 36th week and a live neonate was delivered by caesarean section. The histological findings of the placenta and the perinatal record were not so unusual that they could account for the absence of HPL. This case illustrates that fetal growth is possible without HPL-production.