[Determination of pregnancy by detection of SP1 in tissues]

During investigations of murder sometimes in addition to traces of blood only some organs, tissues and remnants of the victim's body are available. Evidence of pregnancy in the residues, mere portions of the divided body without the genitalia would provide important information for the investigation and would help to classify the parts of the body and to identify the victim. Using double radial immunodiffusion in the modification of permanent elution by means of anti-SP 1 antiserum produced according to Malbohan and antiserum of Dakopatts Co. (Glostrum, Denmark) in tissue excisions and tissue impressions the pregnancy product SP 1 (pregnancy-specific-beta-1-glycoprotein) was detected. The author examined 269 different specimens: 1. excisions of organs from women who died during the 8th-35th week of pregnancy by sudden and violent death (43 specimens). 2. excisions which were made during surgical operations of pregnant women during the 8th-20th week of pregnancy (16 specimens) and during delivery by Caesarean section (210 specimens). Excisions from the kidneys, spleen, lungs, liver, heart, skeletal muscle, subcutaneous layer, skin, brain were examined from corpses. During operations excisions from the subcutaneous layer, uterus, skin, great omentum, peritoneum, and oviduct were made and examined. Furthermore the author made 3. impressions of tissues on washed cotton material. In the organs collected on necropsy from pregnant women SP 1 was detected in 82% of the specimens, with the exception of the brain where it was never detected. In tissues from operated pregnant women during the first half of pregnancy SP 1 was detected in 63% specimens incl. only in 33% in the 8th week of pregnancy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)