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Protein S and protein C levels in Chinese women during pregnancy, delivery and the puerperium
Author(s) -
LAO T. T.,
YUEN P. M. P.,
YIN I. A.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
bjog: an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.157
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1471-0528
pISSN - 1470-0328
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1989.tb01656.x
Subject(s) - pregnancy , medicine , protein s , obstetrics , protein c , biology , genetics
Summary. The plasma levels of protein S and protein C related antigens were determined in a group of normal pregnant Chinese women and a group of normal non‐pregnant controls, using the sandwich technique of enzyme immunoassay with commercial kits. Compared with non‐pregnant controls, plasma protein S levels were significantly lower during pregnancy, labour, parturition and the early puerperium. There was no significant difference in protein S levels between pregnancy, labour and puerperium. On the other hand, maternal plasma protein C levels during pregnancy and before delivery were similar to those in controls, but a significant increase was found during the third stage of labour. This increase did not persist into the early puerperium. The observed increase in protein C level immediately after delivery in our study may represent a physiological response to counter the tendency towards venous thrombosis in the parturient women, and may help to explain the almost negligible occurrence of thromboembolism in Chinese obstetric patients.