Prostaglandins and Postmaturity

Abstract
Summary: Levels of E and F prostaglandins in amniotic fluid of patients with prolonged pregnancy have been compared with levels of patients in the last 4 weeks of normal pregnancy. The mean F prostaglandin levels in patients going past term (1,293.3 ± 332.87 pg/ml) were considerably lower than those going into spontaneous labour at term (4,276.71 ± 1,469.62 pg/ml). In 43 patients who went past term, the F prostaglandin levels bore a positive correlation to the cervical score (correlation coefficient 0.654; P < 0.001).These studies suggest that prostaglandins play an important role in the spontaneous onset of labour at term and are also responsible for cervical ripening at term.

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