[The hormonal function of the fetoplacental system in pregnant women with chronic alcoholic intoxication].

Radioimmunoassay was used for the assessment of serum hormone levels. Dysfunctions in the fetoplacental system (decreased levels of progesterone and estrogens) were revealed as were elevated levels of somatotropic hormone, which were in inverse proportion to the fetal weight, in 20 pregnant females who abused alcohol during the entire pregnancy. It was suggested that higher production of somatotropic hormone could occur in the presence of hypophyseal tension which had been evidently developed before the pregnancy.