title: Serum hyaluronic acid levels during pregnancy and labor.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the changes in concentrations of serum hyaluronic acid in uncomplicated human pregnancies.
  
  
  METHODS
  We determined the concentrations of serum hyaluronic acid, using a specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, in 70 nonpregnant women, 250 women during their pregnancies, and 68 women at the time of parturition. Results were analyzed for statistical significance with Scheffé test for multiple comparisons.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During pregnancy, mean (+/- standard deviation) serum hyaluronic acid levels were 11.4 +/- 4.5, 13.6 +/- 2.8, 20.6 +/- 1.5, and 46.9 +/- 7.9 ng/mL at 5-14 (n = 47), 15-26 (n = 46), 27-37 (n = 58), and 38-40 (n = 99) weeks' gestation, respectively. Pregnant women in labor (n = 68) had significantly higher levels (100.4 +/- 11.3 ng/mL) than did women at term but not in labor (P < .01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Maternal serum hyaluronic acid concentrations increase as pregnancy progresses and serum levels increase significantly at term. Hyaluronic acid may be associated with cervical ripening during parturition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Shizuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Terao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D006820:Hyaluronic Acid