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Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism Vol. 42, No. 4 744-751
doi:10.1210/jcem-42-4-744
Copyright © 1976 by the Endocrine Society.
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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.







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Copyright © 1976 by The Endocrine Society