Abstract
The content of fibrinolytic enzymes in the vessel walls in the puerperium was determined histochemically in biopsy specimens of hand veins and the release of such enzymes into the blood stream was studied after stimulation by venous occlusion of the arms. The local response of the fibrinolytic activity in the blood to such venous occlusion, which is known to be decreased during pregnancy, was almost normal as early as two hours post parlum. The fibrinolytic activity in the vessel wall was found to be normal on the 2nd-5th day post parlum. The early return of the fibrinolytic activity in the blood and in the vessel wall is probably due to loss of the influence of placental hormones and perhaps also to the loss of a placental inhibitor of fibrinolysis.