Intravascular coagulation in obstetrics: Serial dilution protamine sulfate test throughout labor

Serial dilution protamine sulfate tests (SDPS) were performed in 191 women during labor. It was found that 27 per cent of women with uncomplicated pregnancies and 42 per cent with complicated pregnancies had positive SDPS tests, the highest incidence being between three and six hours of labor. These findings support the previous report of a physiologic disseminated intravascular coagulation in pregnancy but make the SDPS test of little value in obstetric cases.