[Cathepsin D activity in amniotic fluid and serum during labor and puerperium in normal cases and those complicated by EPH-gestosis].

Cathepsin D activity during labour and puerperium in normal cases and those complicated by mild or moderate EPH-Gestosis was examined. Sera from maternal and umbilical cord blood, as well as the extraplacental blood and amniotic fluid were used for determinations. The gestational age of physiologic pregnancies and pregnancies complicated by EPH-Gestosis was 40 weeks. The first stage of labour was from 4 to 6 hours. The second stage of labour was over 10 minutes. In the group of women with mild and moderate EPH-Gestosis, the maternal serum activities on the third and fifth day of puerperium were significantly lower than in nonaffected subjects. In patients with moderate EPH-Gestosis, the activities in the maternal sera on the first day of puerperium, and in the umbilical blood were decreased when compared to controls. Uniformly, activities of the studied enzyme have been found to be lower in the umbilical cord blood sera than in the sera of the parturients. In cases of mild and moderate EPH-Gestosis the enzyme activity in the amniotic fluid was much lower than in controls, whereas in the extraplacental blood it was much higher.