Circulating levels of placental protein 10 (PP10) in diabetic pregnancy.

Circulating levels of placental protein 10 (PP10) were measured in 217 heparinized plasma samples from 35 insulin-dependent diabetic patients and 90 samples from apparently healthy pregnant women between 15 and 40 weeks. In diabetic pregnancy between 15 and 40 weeks, the levels were significantly below normal (p less than 0.001). Decreased PP10 levels were seen especially in those cases where diabetic pregnancy was complicated by intra-uterine growth retardation, intra-uterine death, or severe congenital malformation. In 9 healthy pregnant women the PP10 levels were measured both in heparinized plasma and in serum samples. The plasma values were 76% of those in serum, suggesting interaction between PP10 and heparin.