title: Human plasma prekallikrein and high molecular weight kininogen decrease during parturition.
abstract: Prekallikrein and high molecular weight kininogen were measured in plasma taken from nine women during parturition. Prekallikrein decreased significantly (p less than 0.01) from 1.49 +/- 0.15 S-2302 U/ml (mean +/- SEM) in early labor to 1.26 +/- 0.13 S-2302 U/ml in the immediate postpartum period. Immunoreactive high molecular weight kininogen also significantly decreased from 76 +/- 5 micrograms/ml to 68 +/- 5 micrograms/ml one day postpartum (p less than 0.01). Both proteins rose to normal levels within two days. The data suggest that the kallikrein-kinin system is utilized during parturition.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007610:Kallikreins / Q000032:analysis*; D007704:Kininogens / Q000097:blood*; D007743:Labor, Obstetric; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010949:Plasma / Q000032:analysis; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D011288:Prekallikrein / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D007704:Kininogens; D011288:Prekallikrein; D007610:Kallikreins