[Attempt to diagnose a "small" placenta by HPL determination before the 18th week of pregnancy].

In a prospective study covering 175 gravidae it was investigated whether the risk of a "small" placenta could be detected by determining HPL or serum estriol once during the first 18 weeks of pregnancy. The results show that neither the HPL value nor the serum estriol value correlate with the weight of the placenta or the child. Therefore, the problem of early detection of a "small" placenta cannot be resolved with these hormone parameters.