Coagulation and Fibrinolytic Parameters in Normal Pregnancy and in Pregnancy Complicated by Intrauterine Growth Retardation

Jordi Bellart; Rosa Gilabert; Jordi Fontcuberta; Elena Carreras; Ramon M. Miralles; Lluis Cabero

doi:10.1055/s-2007-993903

American Journal of Perinatology, Table of Contents

Am J Perinatol 1998; 15(2): 81-85
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-993903

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Coagulation and Fibrinolytic Parameters in Normal Pregnancy and in Pregnancy Complicated by Intrauterine Growth Retardation

Jordi Bellart¹ , Rosa Gilabert² , Jordi Fontcuberta³ , Elena Carreras⁴ , Ramon M. Miralles¹ , Lluis Cabero⁴

¹Servei de Ginecologia i Obstetricia, Unitat de Medicina Materno-fetal, Hospital Universitari de Tarragona Joan XXIII, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona
²Unitat Anatomia Humana i Embriologia, Departament Ciencies Mediques Basiques, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona
³Servei Hematologia, Hospital Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autonoma, Barcelona
⁴Servei de Ginecologia i Obstetricia, Hospital Materno-Infantil Vall d'Hebron, Universitat Autonoma, Barcelona

Abstract

ABSTRACT

The objective of this article is to evaluate the plasma levels of coagulation and fibrinolysis parameters in the third trimester of gestation and 72 hr postdelivery. Antithrombin III (ATIII), thrombin-antithrombin III complexes (TAT), heparin cofactor II (HCII), protein C (PC), protein S (PS), tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA), D-dimer, and plasminogen activator inhibitors (PAI-1 and PAI-2) levels in uncomplicated pregnancies and in pregnancies complicated by intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) have been determined. Normal pregnant women (n = 63) and women whose was complicated by IUGR (n = 10) formed the study population. Coagulation and fibrinolysis parameters were estimated using comercial tests. There were no differences in ATIII, HCII, and PS levels between normal and IUGR pregnancies. TAT, t-PA, and D-dimer levels were higher in IUGR pregnancy than in the uncomplicated pregnancy group. PAI-1 and PAI-2 were found depressed in IUGR pregnancy when compared with normal pregnancy. Changes in coagulation and fibrinolytic systems occur in plasma of women with pregnancies complicated by IUGR. The results suggest an activation of the coagulation system in pregnancies complicated by IUGR. Reduced PAI-2 and high TAT levels correlate with birth weight. In IUGR pregnancies a hypercoagulative state with hyperfibrinolytic compensatory mechanisms is suggested.

Keywords

Coagulation - fibrinolysis - pregnancy - intrauterine growth retardation

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