Fibrinogen concentrations in captive bottlenose dolphins during pregnancy

Plasma fibrinogen concentrations were measured in 136 blood samples from 360 days pre-partum to 90 days post-partum for twelve parturitions of seven bottlenose dolphins and in 50 blood samples from the dolphins they were not pregnant as a control. The median concentrations increased gradually, and the values during the fourth stage were higher than those during the other stages. The concentrations during the third stage and the puerperium were almost the same. There were significant differences between the plasma fibrinogen concentrations during the third stage and those of the controls and between those of the fourth stages and the controls (p<0.01). The concentrations peaked during the third stage in four cases and during the fourth stage in three cases.