CIRCULATING LEVELS OF PREGNANCY SPECIFIC β₁ GLYCOPROTEIN IN PREGNANCIES COMPLICATED BY DIABETES MELLITUS

Abstract

Circulating levels of SP, were measured in 20 insulin dependent diabetic women during the third trimester of pregnancy. With one exception, SP, levels were between the 80 per cent confidence limits of the normal range. The exception was a patient who was delivered of a normal infant at 37 weeks but had consistently low levels of SP, from 32 weeks until delivery, suggesting a specific defect in SP, synthesis.PREGNANCY specific ( 3, glycoprotein (SP,) is one of a new generation of proteins recently isolated from late pregnancy blood (Tatarinov and Masyukevich, 1970) and placenta (BQhn, 1971). The clinical application of SP, measurement in the maternal circulation as an index of fetal wellbeing has been reviewed (Chard and Grudzinskas, 1979;Horne and Towler, 1979). The biological function of SP, during pregnancy is unknown although minor fluctuations in circulating levels of SP, after induced hypo-and hyperglycaemia (Tatra et al, 1976) have sug-Present addresses

Human placental lactogen and pregnancy‐specific β1‐glycoprotein in pregnant diabetic women

“…In our study many peak SP, concentrations lay above the 97.5th centile of our normal range. This is in contrast to the findings of Grudzinskas et al (1979) but may in part be explained by differences in methodology. Our assay system appears to detect both a and p components of SP,.…”

Serum Levels of Pregnancy-Specific β₁-Glycoprotein (SP₁) in Women with Pregnancies at Risk

“…These women gave birth to infants of normal birth weight and the placental weights did not differ from those of the reference population. In contrast, Grudzinskas et al [5] reported that insulin-depen dent pregnant women who delivered infants of normal birth weight had SPi values that were evenly distributed between the limits of the normal range. The same was found for 2 women with large-for-date infants.…”

“…However, in another study [5] no relation was found between SPi level and blood glucose, daily insulin dosage or duration of the diabetic disease. Further investigations are needed to clarify this matter.…”

Pregnancy-specific β1-glycoprotein (SP1) in serum from women with pregnancies complicated by intrauterine growth retardation

“…1). A similar case has only been reported once [10], suggesting a rare and specific defect in the SPj synthesis, as both these women had normal HPL values. It is of interest to note that a similar rare deficiency has been reported for HPL in cases with a normal pregnancy and delivery.…”