Serum fibrin degradation products throughout normal pregnancy.

Fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products in the serum of 169 healthy pregnant and 43 healthy non-pregnant subjects of a similar age group showed a significant increase throughout pregnancy, the highest levels being obtained in the third trimester. There was no correlation with plasma fibrinogen levels or euglobulin lysis times. Though these changes may be due to other alterations in pregnancy not primarily associated with fibrinolysis, it is possible that actual fibrinolysis is not decreased in late pregnancy, as has been previously asssumed.