Plasminogen activators and inhibitors in normal late pregnancy, postpartum and in the postnatal period.

Tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA), urokinase plasminogen activator (u-PA) and plasminogen activator inhibitors (PAI) are elevated in late pregnancy with t-PA and u-PA remaining so at 6 weeks postnatal. PAI-2 remains at postpartum but was absent by 6 weeks postnatal unlike PAI activity which was absent at postpartum and returned to nonpregnant level at postnatal. The potential fibrinolytic response to stress is much reduced in pregnancy thus increasing the risk of thromboembolism.