The fibrinolytic enzyme system in pregnancy: A comparison between ovarian and antecubital blood

The fibrinolytic enzyme system was evaluated from blood from antecubital veins, the inferior vena cava, and the ovarian veins in nonpregnant and pregnant women at term. The systemic fibrinolytic activity was decreased in pregnancy. No difference was found in plasminogen, plasmin, urokinase, and streptokinase inhibitor. In general, the activity was higher in ovarian veins than in the antecubital sample, both in pregnant and nonpregnant patients, which might be attributed to direct drainage from the activator-rich myometrium and Fallopian tubes.