title: [Prolactin in normal pregnancy and severe pregnancy-induced hypertension].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was to investigate the relationship between serum prolactin and pregnancy-induced hypertension.
  
  
  METHODS
  Maternal serum prolactin was estimated by radioimmunoassay in 89 normal pregnant women and 52 patients with severe pregnancy-induced hypertension at 28 to 42 week gestation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In normal pregnancy, prolactin level increased progressively from a mean value of 270 mg.L-1 in the 24th week to 440 mg.L-1 in the 34th week and decreased progressively from the 38th week to the 40th week. In severe pregnancy-induced hypertension increased progressively too; 31 of 52 patients with severe prolactin showed high prolactin levels in zone A (> mean value + standard of prolactin values in the normal pregnancy), 10 patients in zone B (mean + standard to mean) and 11 patients in zone C (< mean).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that high prolactin levels may play an important role in the pathogenesis of severe pregnancy-induced hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xiangya Hospital, Hunan Medical College, Central South University, Changsha 410008.
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Z H
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: N B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
chemical_list: D011388:Prolactin