Significance of Placenta in Depression of Fibrinolytic Activity During Pregnancy

Summary The local fibrinolytic activity in the blood after venous occlusion was studied in fourteen patients one hour after normal delivery of the baby. Seven of these patients had retained, adherent placenta and seven had a normal third stage of labour. The fibrinolytic activity of the patients with a retained placenta was still at the pregnant level, while that of the patients who had a normal thrid stage had returned to non‐pregnant levels indicating that the depression of fibrinolytic activity during pregnancy is not due to any effect of the fetal circulation, but to the presence of the placenta.