What does placental lactogen show during pregnancy?

Waiting for birth - this time is both joyful and exciting. While the baby day after day grows and develops, my mother undergoes numerous examinations, according to which doctors try to guess what happens to the baby inside and whether everything is in order. Not always the results are accurate and reliable, so sometimes the interpretation can be the reason for serious alarms. However, calmness, only calm.

There is always the possibility to undergo an analysis again or to receive a transcript from another specialist in order to compare the results obtained. Today we will talk about what the placental lactogen shows. This is a special peptide hormone, which is produced only by the placenta. Accordingly, out of pregnancy, it is not detected in the blood. Today we will tell you about what and on what terms the placental lactogen can tell a specialist.

general description

First of all I want to say a few words about what this hormone is. Doctors, of course, have an idea about it, but they do not hurry to educate the future mother. So, the placental lactogen is a chain of amino acids. In fact, the growth hormone of the pituitary gland and prolactin are very similar to it. But at the same time they are very different from each other. Today we are talking about a hormone that simultaneously possesses somatotropic and prolactin-like properties. In this case, the placental lactogen shows much higher lactogenic activity.

Main functions

Our body will not do anything just like that. This is especially true of the continuation of the genus, here everything should be clearly justified. Hormone placental lactogen plays a huge role in the preparation of the mammary glands for feeding. It is synthesized from the earliest stages of pregnancy. Gradually, the level of this hormone in the blood rises and reaches its maximum at the 37th week. Before birth, the figures are noticeably reduced.

I would also like to say that the placental lactogen is studied in pregnancy if the doctor who leads the pregnancy has any suspicions of impaired fetal ripening or placental functioning. At the same time, the concentration of the hormone in the blood is very variable. Therefore, it is very important to focus not on average indicators, but on an individual organism.

Average statistical norms

Numerous studies have made it possible to make indicative tables that allow doctors to determine whether pregnancy is normal or whether there is a suspicion of pathology. If ultrasound shows a lag in the development of the fetus, then it is recommended to pass tests for placental lactogen. In pregnancy, the rate depends on the period on which the woman is now. A small table allows you to compare the results obtained in the laboratory with the average.

However, remember that the above data are averaged, so do not panic if your results are different. You can always get advice from a doctor who will dispel your doubts. As the expert for statement of the diagnosis always uses several methods of research.

What the hormone shows

This is one of the most important issues. Indeed, why measure placental lactogen during pregnancy? What does this hormone show? So, the placenta is the only organ that can produce it. Therefore, it is the amount of lactogen in the blood that is characterized by the condition of the placenta itself. In this case, if a woman suffers from kidney pathologies, there is a serious increase in this hormone in the blood. In hypertension, on the contrary, the concentration in the blood is greatly reduced.

First trimester, the most important and complex

Early pregnancy is considered the most dangerous. However, in a number of studies it is said that if the body tries to get rid of the fetus, then it is not necessary to keep it, there are reasons for this. But this does not negate the need to consult a doctor, as the most important thing is to preserve the life and health of the mother. So, in the first trimester, with the development of placental insufficiency, the level of the submarine is significantly reduced. Extremely low rates are revealed on the eve of fetal death and three days before spontaneous miscarriage.

But in later periods, important information is provided by the placental lactogen. The norm is given above, and if the indices are very different in the smaller direction, then one can suspect kidney failure and chronic fetal hypoxia. At the same time, we must not forget that the content of the hormone in the blood can fluctuate in a fairly wide range, and in most pregnant women it is much lower than normal. However, when the fetus is hypoxic, the indices drop sharply, about three times. A doctor who watches such a change must suspect something wrong and take action.

Indications for the purpose of the examination

When can doctors send for analysis? Placental lactogen is checked in all pregnant women, but if the indices are normal, then it is not usually re-transmitted. An exception is the worsening of the course of pregnancy and other alarming symptoms. Let's define the main indications, according to which the doctor can send you to the laboratory. If you are already late in pregnancy, and if there are complications. In the event that the doctor believes that the fetus is lagging behind in development, he can evaluate the placenta and fetus by studying a number of analyzes on the submarine.

Analysis of results

The amount of hormone released is proportional to the size of the placenta. Therefore, the determination of the plasma level is advisable in pregnant women who belong to the risk group. Therefore, if there is a history of diabetes or hypertension, then most likely the doctor will prescribe the samples in an equal time interval. An additional examination is performed if there is a suspicion of a violation of the placenta function. It is important to consider that the level of the hormone varies considerably, especially in the second half of pregnancy. Therefore, to confirm the result, it is recommended to define it several times.

The raised level of a hormone is observed at a multiple pregnancy, a rhesus-conflicts and trofoblastnye tumors. In addition, women with diabetes mellitus, too, often have changed indicators.

And in some cases it is the other way round - the indicators are decreasing. This often occurs with a bubble drift. This is an ailment that is characterized by the pathological development of placental tissue. In most cases, with a bubble drift, the fetus dies.

Choriocarcinoma is another pathology in which there is a serious decrease in the level of the hormone. This malignant tumor of the uterus, which can develop as a result of normal delivery or abortion, and also become a consequence of a bubble drift. It is characterized by uterine bleeding and gives metastases to the liver and brain.

Hypertensive toxaemia is a decrease in the level of subluxation, which precedes spontaneous abortion. And after 30 weeks in determining the reduced rates, we can say that there is a risk for the fetus. This may be a sign of premature birth, as well as hypoxia of the fetus. In both cases, doctors should assess the situation and prescribe the necessary treatment, as well as direct to premature birth.

Instead of concluding

The definition of "placental lactogen" may be completely unfamiliar to a woman who has already become a mother several times. This can easily be explained by the fact that in normal pregnancy, without serious fear for the development of crumbs, the doctor will not prescribe additional studies. However, if the results obtained are slightly different from the norm, there is no reason to panic. In addition, it will be necessary to have an ultrasound scan, compare all previous results of the examinations, and repeat the analysis in a week. Then it is already possible to make comprehensive conclusions.