Influence of treatment with prostaglandin synthesis inhibitor or progesterone on cytotoxic activity and progesterone binding capacity of lymphocytes during pregnancy.

Cytotoxic activity and progesterone binding capacity of lymphocytes obtained from women with threatened preterm labour were tested before and during treatment with acetylsalicylic acid or 17-hydroxyprogesterone caproate. Cytotoxic activity of the lymphocytes significantly decreased (p less than 0.001), while progesterone binding capacity significantly increased (p less than 0.001) following the introduction of the treatments. No changes in these parameters were observed on lymphocytes of untreated women. Preterm delivery occurred more frequently among untreated women than among women treated with acetylsalicylic acid (p less than 0.01) or those treated with 17-hydroxyprogesterone caproate (p less than 0.05).