Biomaterial Database

A decline in prolactin levels in amniotic fluid and decidua at term pregnancy after the initiation of labour. 1991

T Kinoshita, and Y Taketani, and M Mizuno

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Japan.

Prolactin is known to inhibit the production of prostaglandins, key substances in the initiation of labour. To explore a possible role of prolactin in human parturition, prolactin levels were therefore measured in amniotic fluid and decidua at full-term pregnancy. Prolactin levels in amniotic fluid before labour were about three times higher than those at labour and they tended to decrease with time during labour. Prolactin levels in decidua before labour were about twice as high as those at labour. These findings suggest a possible involvement of prolactin in human parturition.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007743	Labor, Obstetric	The repetitive uterine contraction during childbirth which is associated with the progressive dilation of the uterine cervix (CERVIX UTERI). Successful labor results in the expulsion of the FETUS and PLACENTA. Obstetric labor can be spontaneous or induced (LABOR, INDUCED).	Obstetric Labor
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D011388	Prolactin	A lactogenic hormone secreted by the adenohypophysis (PITUITARY GLAND, ANTERIOR). It is a polypeptide of approximately 23 kD. Besides its major action on lactation, in some species prolactin exerts effects on reproduction, maternal behavior, fat metabolism, immunomodulation and osmoregulation. Prolactin receptors are present in the mammary gland, hypothalamus, liver, ovary, testis, and prostate.	Lactogenic Hormone, Pituitary,Mammotropic Hormone, Pituitary,Mammotropin,PRL (Prolactin),Hormone, Pituitary Lactogenic,Hormone, Pituitary Mammotropic,Pituitary Lactogenic Hormone,Pituitary Mammotropic Hormone
D003656	Decidua	The hormone-responsive glandular layer of ENDOMETRIUM that sloughs off at each menstrual flow (decidua menstrualis) or at the termination of pregnancy. During pregnancy, the thickest part of the decidua forms the maternal portion of the PLACENTA, thus named decidua placentalis. The thin portion of the decidua covering the rest of the embryo is the decidua capsularis.	Deciduum,Deciduas
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000653	Amniotic Fluid	A clear, yellowish liquid that envelopes the FETUS inside the sac of AMNION. In the first trimester, it is likely a transudate of maternal or fetal plasma. In the second trimester, amniotic fluid derives primarily from fetal lung and kidney. Cells or substances in this fluid can be removed for prenatal diagnostic tests (AMNIOCENTESIS).	Amniotic Fluid Index,Amniotic Fluid Indices,Amniotic Fluids,Fluid Index, Amniotic,Fluid Indices, Amniotic,Fluid, Amniotic,Fluids, Amniotic,Index, Amniotic Fluid,Indices, Amniotic Fluid
D013997	Time Factors	Elements of limited time intervals, contributing to particular results or situations.	Time Series,Factor, Time,Time Factor