Soluble fibrinogen--fibrin complexes in intrauterine growth retardation.

Soluble fibrinogen--fibrin complex levels were found to be significantly higher in plasma samples from pregnant women with babies suffering from intrauterine growth retardation, when compared with levels found in normal pregnancy. As soluble fibrinogen--fibrin complexes are formed following activation of the coagulation pathway in vitro and in vivo these findings may reflect the increased local intravascular coagulation within the placenta demonstrated histologically in pregnancies complicated by growth retardation. The use of more sensitive methods for detecting alterations in coagulation, fibrinolysis and platelet function may prove useful in the diagnosis of intrauterine growth retardation antenatally.