Human Placental Lactogenic Hormone as a Parameter for Placental Function in Renal Transplanted Women

In 13 pregnant women with renal transplants the serum concentration of placental hormones were determined in order to show their ability to predict fetal problems especially placental insufficiency. It is shown that the hPL values were increased because of reduced elimination of hPL, presumably in the renal tubuli. In this study the weight of only one newborn was over the 50th percentile in spite of the fact that all but one had hPL values over the 50th percentile and in even 8 pregnancies the values were over the 95th percentile. In most of the growth-retarded fetus's the ratio between hPL and the weight of the newborns was more complex. It is concluded that in renal transplantated pregnant women, hPL as a parameter for the placental function must be used with reservation and is not able to predict placental insufficiency.