The presence of prostaglandin-degrading enzymes in the placenta and membranes may explain the need for higher intra-amniotic doses of PGF2a for pregnancy termination.
May explain need for higher intra-amniotic PGF2α doses in termination; leaves open role in human parturition.
The potential for intra-uterine metabolism of prostaglandins in early pregnancy was studied by incubation of prostaglandin F2a (PGF2a) with tissues obtained by termination hysterectomy at 7 and 16 weeks gestation. Enzymes regulating the degradation of prostaglandins were demonstrated in placenta and membranes and to a lesser extent, in myometrium and decidua. It is believed that these enzymes may have a physiological role in maintaining the continuity of pregnancy, and that the high degradation of PGF2a in placenta and membranes may be one of the reasons that, for termination of pregnancy, far higher doses are required intra-amniotically than extra-amniotically.
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Keires et al. (1975) studied this question.
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