ASSESSMENT OF UNCONJUGATED OESTRADIOL AND PROGESTERONE SERUM LEVELS THROUGHOUT PREGNANCY IN NORMAL WOMEN AND IN WOMEN WITH HYPERPROLACTINAEMIA. WHO CONCEIVED AFTER BROMOCRIPTINE TREATMENT

Abstract

ABSTRACT Peripheral serum levels of unconjugated oestradiol and of progesterone were measured serially throughout the gestational period in 13 uncomplicated pregnancies. The levels of these hormones were compared with those found in the same time course of 13 patients with hyperprolactinaemia who conceived following bromocriptine treatment. Both steroid hormones were measured by radioimmunoassay using highly specific antibodies. The reliability characteristics of the methods are reported. The patterns of change in the serum levels for both hormones allowed the following conclusions: 1. Serum progesterone in the 11–12th week period showed a statistically nificant difference, the values being lower in bromocriptine pre-treated women (P < 0.05). Hyperprolactinaemia thus may cause suppression of progesterone secretion that - at least in part - originates from the corpus luteum of pregnancy around the time of the luteo-placental shift. 2. No statistically significant differences were observed for both oestradiol and progesterone serum levels between the two groups of pregnant women following 12 weeks of duration. Thus, elevated prolactin during the course of pregnancy does not affect the functional steroid parameters of the foeto-placental unit.