Hormone levels in amniotic fluid and maternal serum in women who undergo spontaneous abortion after second trimester amniocentesis.

Second trimester spontaneous abortion occurring on the average 1.5 weeks after amniocentesis in 15 symptom-free women has been studied. Thus, hormone (total estriol, hCG, prolactin, and hPL) levels in amniotic fluid and maternal serum were compared to those in 60 women who also underwent second trimester amniocentesis but went to term without complications. The abortion group had significantly (p less than 0.01) elevated levels of total estriol in maternal serum and in amniotic fluid, significantly (p less than 0.01) increased prolactin concentration in amniotic fluid, and decreased (p less than 0.05) hCG levels in maternal serum. It is suggested that these differences may relate to fetal adrenal stress response in the subsequent abortion group indicating an abnormality which may or may not be aggravated by amniocentesis.