help button home button Endocrine Society JCEM
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism Vol. 42, No. 4 744-751
doi:10.1210/jcem-42-4-744
Copyright © 1976 by the Endocrine Society.
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a related Letter to the Editor
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Request Copyright Permission
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by CHANG, R. J.
Right arrow Articles by MARSHALL, J. R.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by CHANG, R. J.
Right arrow Articles by MARSHALL, J. R.

Simultaneous Comparison of {Delta}5-3β-Hydroxysteroid Levels in the Fetoplacental Circulation of Normal Pregnancy in Labor and Not in Labor

R. JEFFREY CHANG, JOHN E. BUSTER, JERRY L. BLAKELY, DONALD M. OKADA, CALVIN J. HOBEL, GUY E. ABRAHAM and JOHN R. MARSHALL

Division of Reproductive Biology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, UCLA School of Medicine, Harbor General Hospital Campus Torrance, California

Reprints: John E. Buster, M.D., Harbor General Hospital, 1000 W. Carson St., Torrance, CA 90509.

Concentrations of pregnenolone ({Delta}5P), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), 16{alpha}-hydroxydehydroepiandrosterone (16{alpha}-OH DHEA), pregnenolone sulfate ({Delta}5P-S), and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) were measured simultaneously by radioimmunoassay in individual, paired umbilical artery (UA) and vein (UV) sera from 18 normal term pregnancies, 6 in labor, 12 not in labor. Mean UA and UV levels ± SEM (ng/ml) were for {Delta}5P: 30.39 ± 1.69, 35.55 ± 3.06; DHEA: 12.31 ± 2.34, 3.66 ± 0.38; 16{alpha}-OH DHEA: 7.48 ± 0.63, 10.59 ± 0.78; {Delta}5P-S: 1,652 ± 154,1,486 ± 130; DHEA-S: 2,122 ± 134, ± 134,1,906 ± 134. Umbilical artery {Delta}5P-S, DHEA-S, and DHEA levels were significantly higher than UV levels, whereas the reverse was true for {Delta}5P and 16{alpha}-OH DHEA. The inverse arterio-venous (A-V) gradient for 16{alpha}-OH DHEA was contrary to previous published reports using pooled samples. Comparison by linear regression of paired UA and UV steroid concentrations of {Delta}5P, {Delta}5P-S, DHEA, and DHEA-S revealed a significant correlation (P < 0.01) for each steroid. Labor was associated with a significant increase in UA levels of DHEA-S and a smaller, but not quite significant, increase in UA levels of {delta}5P-S, while similar changes for unconjugated {delta}5-3β-hydroxysteroids were not observed. Mean A-V gradients between the group of patients in labor and those not in labor were not significantly different. These data demonstrate that: 1) a significant difference between UA and UV concentrations exists for A5P, DHEA, 16{alpha}-OH DHEA, {delta}5P-S, and DHEA-S; 2) there is a significant correlation between UA and UV concentrations for {delta}5P, DHEA, {delta}5P-S, and DHEA-S, implying that each fetoplacental unit maintains an equilibrium relative to these steroid concentrations in the umbilical circulation; 3) labor is associated with a significant increase in UA levels of DHEA-S and probably of {delta}5P-S.

Received June 27, 1975.






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Endocrinology Endocrine Reviews J. Clin. End. & Metab.
Molecular Endocrinology Recent Prog. Horm. Res. All Endocrine Journals
Copyright © 1976 by The Endocrine Society