In this study, blood coagulation and fibrinolytic parameters were measured in maternal blood and fetal umbilical cord blood in 200 normal pregnant women and in 46 with severe
toxemia of pregnancy (
Toxemia), and the relationships between fetal growth and concentrations
protein C (PC),
antithrombin-III (AT-III) and
alpha 2-plasmin inhibitor (alpha 2-PI) were studied. 1. Significant increases in
fibrin degradation products (
FDP) and in
plasminogen (Plg), AT-III and PC were found in maternal blood of
Toxemia. A significant increase in AT-III and a decrease in alpha 2-PI and PC were observed in cord blood from these patients. 2. The platelet count (Pl) tended to be low in patients with
Toxemia complicated by
fetal growth retardation (IUGR). 3. Pl and
fibrinogen (Fib) tended to be high in
Toxemia complicated by normal fetal growth. 4. PC increased from early pregnancy, and a further increase was observed in the puerperium. 5. The PC concentration correlated with the AT-III but not with the alpha 2-PI concentration in maternal blood. 6. PC in cord blood was lower than that in maternal blood, and was correlated with AT-III and alpha 2-PI. 7. In patients with
Toxemia, PC was reduced in both maternal and cord blood, and this correlated with AT-III as well as alpha 2-PI in maternal blood. 8. PC was low in
Toxemia complicated by
hypertension and
proteinuria. These results suggest the involvement of
FDP, AT-III, PC and Plg in the pathogenesis of
Toxemia, and that the Pl, Fib,
FDP and alpha 2-PI concentrations are related to fetal growth. Therefore, the PC and AT-III concentrations appeared to be a useful index for the blood coagulation and fibrinolysis in pregnant women and appeared to be important factors in the degree of
Toxemia and IUGR.