Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Vol 49, 452-455, Copyright © 1979 by Endocrine Society

ARTICLES

Intraamniotic or intravenous injection of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate in midgestation: effect on prolactin level in maternal serum and amniotic fluid

O Ylikorkala, A Kauppila and L Viinikka

The influence of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) on PRL levels in maternal serum and amniotic fluid at midgestation was evaluated in a series of 32 women admitted for midtrimester abortion. Serum was collected hourly for 6 h in 13 women after intraamniotic (ia) instillation (100--200 mg) or in 10 women after iv injection (100 mg) of DHEA-S, and in 9 control women. Serum PRL levels rose significantly (P less than 0.05) 3--6 h after ia and 2--6 h after iv administration of DHEA-S but was unchanged in the control group. The elevation of serum PRL levels is most likely secondary to increased levels of serum estrogens which accompany ia or iv administration of DHEA-S. This suggests that maternal pituitary PRL secretion is responsive to additional stimulation by endogenous estrogens at midgestation. The amniotic fluid PRL level ranged from 1109-2473 ng/ml, with no consistent change after administration of ia DHEA-S, intimating that estrogens may not be implicated in the control of PRL in amniotic fluid.