OXYTOCIN IN HUMAN FEMALE BLOOD

Abstract

AMETHOD for the extraction of oxytocin from rat blood has been described by Bisset & Walker (1). They found in blood taken from rats under ether anaesthesia a range of 1.7 to 6.8 mU. oxytocin/ml. with a mean of 3.9 mU./ml. Using a slight modification of their method of extraction, we have determined the oxytocic activity of bloods taken from non-pregnant females; healthy pregnant females towards the end of pregnancy; and from women in the first stage of labour.