Maternal plasma concentrations of beta-lipotrophin, beta-endorphin and gamma-lipotrophin throughout pregnancy.
Plasma beta-LPH, beta-EP and gamma-LPH concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay in 10 pregnant women from 12 weeks gestation until term and in nine women in the early follicular phase of the cycle. There was a progressive and significant rise in the concentration of all three peptides throughout pregnancy and by 32 weeks the concentrations of beta-LPH and beta-EP were greater than the corresponding concentrations in the follicular phase: gamma-LPH was greater than in the follicular phase by the end of pregnancy in those women who were delivered after 40 weeks. The ratio of beta-LPH to gamma-LPH did not change significantly throughout pregnancy, but there was a progressive fall in the beta-LPH/beta-EP ratio. The possible presence of a 'big LPH' to explain this finding is discussed.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004723:Endorphins / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008598:Menstruation; D011247:Pregnancy; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013997:Time Factors; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D008083:beta-Lipotropin / Q000097:blood*
D004723:Endorphins; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D008083:beta-Lipotropin