title: Hemostatic parameters and platelet activation by flow-cytometry in normal pregnancy: a longitudinal study.
abstract: Nineteen pregnant women with uncomplicated pregnancies were studied during the first, second, and third trimesters. We measured the following hemostatic parameters: prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, fibrinogen, antithrombin III, protein C, protein S, platelet number and volume. Platelet function was examined by a cytofluorimetric method, using an anti-GPM-140 antibody which is directed against a platelet alpha granule membrane protein. Activated platelets were expressed as a percentage of the GMP-140-positive platelets over total platelets. Fibrinogen levels showed a steady increase during pregnancy; conversely prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, protein C, and antithrombin III showed no significant modifications and remained within the reference range. There was a decrease of protein S activity throughout pregnancy, although protein S antigen did not follow this trend. The decrease occurred early in pregnancy and persisted during the second and third trimesters, reaching a stable plateau. We observed no platelet volume change or activation: the percentage of activated platelets was within the normal reference range, even in late pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Centro Trasfusionale e di Immunoematologia, Istituti Clinici di Perfezionamento, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gatti
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Tenconi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Guarneri
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bertulessi
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Ossola
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bosco
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Gianotti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000990:Antithrombin III / Q000378:metabolism; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000737:chemistry; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D010314:Partial Thromboplastin Time; D015539:Platelet Activation / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*; D011486:Protein C / Q000378:metabolism; D017293:Protein S / Q000378:metabolism; D011517:Prothrombin Time
chemical_list: D011486:Protein C; D017293:Protein S; D000990:Antithrombin III; D005340:Fibrinogen