Fetal and Maternal Erythropoietin Levels in Normal Pregnancy
- 1 January 1992
- journal article
- Published by S. Karger AG in Fetal Diagnosis and Therapy
- Vol. 7 (1) , 21-25
- https://doi.org/10.1159/000263645
Abstract
In a cross-sectional study of 120 pregnancies undergoing cordocentesis for prenatal diagnosis (n = 90) or elective caesarean section (n = 30), the umbilical cord and maternal venous plasma erythropoietin (Epo) concentrations were measured. Fetal Epo levels increased from a mean of 4 mU/ml at 16 weeks to 13 mU/ml at 40 weeks’ gestation. There were no significant associations between fetal plasma Epo concentration and fetal blood gases, haemoglobin concentration, oxygen content or erythroblast count. The maternal plasma Epo concentration (mean = 14 mU/ml, range 1–77 mU/ml) did not change with gestation but was significantly higher than levels in non-pregnant females (mean = 6.6 mU/ml, range 1–25 mU/ml).Keywords
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