E PROSTAGLANDINS IN AMNIOTIC FLUID DURING LATE PREGNANCY AND LABOUR

Abstract

Summary Concentrations of prostaglandins e 1 and E 2 (PGE 1 and PGE 2 ) have been measured by gas liquid chromatography with electron‐capture detection, in samples of amniotic fluid from 49 patients with normal pregnancies and one patient with a pregnancy complicated by anencephaly. In 10 of 12 samples taken before the onset of clinical labour, PGE 2 levels were below 0.5 ng. per ml. In 37 samples, obtained from patients in labour, PGE 2 concentrations varied from 1 .2 to 17.0 ng. per ml. PGE 2 concentrations increased significantly (p<0.001) with advancing cervical dilatation. No PGE 1 (less than 0.5 ng. per ml.) was found in any sample investigated. Levels of PGE 2 in oxytocin‐induced or spontaneous labour were not statistically different. No PGE 2 was found in the late first stage labour in one patient, in whom pregnancy was complicated by anencephaly.