mass, and they rise steadily until 34 to 36 weeks’ gestation.

The hPL production rate near term—approximately 1 g/

day—is by far the greatest of any known hormone in humans.
The half-life of hPL in maternal plasma is between 10 and 30
minutes (Walker, 1991). In late pregnancy, maternal serum
concentrations reach levels of 5 to 15 μg/mL (see Fig. 5-21).
Very little hPL is detected in fetal blood or in the urine of
the mother or newborn. Amnionic fluid levels are somewhat
lower than in maternal plasma. Because hPL is secreted primarily
into the maternal circulation, with only very small amounts
in cord blood, it appears that its role in pregnancy is mediated
through actions in maternal rather than in fetal tissues.
Nonetheless, there is continuing interest in the possibility that
hPL serves select functions in fetal growth.
Regulation of hPL Biosynthesis
Levels of mRNA for hPL in syncytiotrophoblast remain relatively
constant throughout pregnancy. This finding supports
the idea that the hPL secretion rate is proportional to placental
mass. There are very high plasma levels of hCG in women with
trophoblastic neoplasms, but only low levels of hPL in these
same women.
Prolonged maternal starvation in the first half of