An electroimmuno-assay of the pregnancy-specific beta1-glycoprotein (SP1) in normal and pathological pregnancies, and its clinical value compared to human chorionic somato-mammotropin (HCS).

A 95% reference interval for the pregnancy-specific beta1-glycoprotein (SP1) was established on the basis of 299 samples from 254 normal pregnant women by electroimmuno-assay (rocket immunoelectrophoresis). A positive correlation was found between SP1 and the human chorionic somato-mammotropin (HCS). The SP1 concentration in maternal blood was halved about 30 hours after separation of the placenta at delivery. Thus emergency analyses would be of little value in detecting acute placentae failure. 172 determinations of SP1 in maternal sera were carried out on 56 pregnant women with various types of pathological pregnancies. To assess the clinical value of SP1 a comparison with HCS (HPL) was made. It was concluded that SP1 could possibly be a valuable parameter for monitoring and discovering pathological pregnancies. Larger investigations, however, must be performed to decide whether SP1 determinations will provide more extensive information than other laboratory analyses presently used.