Metabolism of vitamin K dependent factors in mothers and their newborn infants.
Little is known about the absorption, excretion and transplacental transport of vitamin K in the perinatal period. From this point of view, the following studies were carried out. 1) Hepaplastin tests were performed on 65 women in the last stage of pregnancy and each coagulation factor was estimated as well. 2) Correlations were made between mothers' and babies' Hepaplastin test values. 3) Transplacental transport of vitamin K2 was studied. The general activity of vitamin K dependent factors in pregnant women was much higher than in non pregnant women. As far as the correlation between mothers' venous blood during delivery and cord venous blood is concerned, in the group of mothers with Hepaplastin test value of less than 120% of the normal adult value, the value of the Hepaplastin test was less than 30% of normal adult value in the cord venous blood. We also established that vitamin K passed through the placenta but only in small qualities.
Suzuki
S
S
College of Medical Technology, Hokkaido University, Japan.
Maki
M
M
Shirakawa
K
K
Terao
T
T
D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D001810:Blood Volume; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third / Q000378:metabolism*; D014812:Vitamin K / Q000378:metabolism*
D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors; D014812:Vitamin K