[Concentration of erythropoietin in blood serum of the umbilical cord and in amniotic fluid in normal and complicated pregnancies]

Abstract

Erythropoietin is the primary hormone controlling erythropoiesis in both adults and fetuses. In extra-fetal life the main organ producing erythropoietin is the kidney which is responsible for producing about 90% of the total amount of this hormone. In fetal life erythropoietin is produced by the liver of the fetus. The erythropoietin production depends on the content of oxygen in blood. This is probably the only physiological stimulus which regulates the production of erythropoietin. The increase of erythropoietin concentration in the umbilical cord serum and in the amniotic fluid has been observed in the states of fetus anoxia. This mainly concerns such complications during pregnancy as the fetus hypotrophy, diabetes, serological conflict, and gestosis.