The effect of conception on the concentration of urinary oestrone-3-glucuronide, LH/hCG and pregnanediol-3α-glucuronide

Abstract

Abstract. The concentrations of oestrone-3-glucuronide, LH/hCG and pregnanediol-3α-glucuronide have been measured in daily samples of early morning urine from 6 women throughout the normal ovarian cycle and from 5 subjects, who conceived during the period of study. In addition, the ratio of oestrone to pregnanediol glucuronide was calculate as an additional index of ovarian function. The results showed that the ratio during the follicular phase of the cycle was similar in both groups of women. Moreover, there was no significant difference between the groups in either the duration or intensity of the LH peak. Seven days later, however, the women who conceived excreted significantly higher amounts of oestrone-3-glucuronide (P<0.05) and 12 days after the LH peak the values for pregnanediol-3α-glucuronide and LH/hCG were also elevated (P<0.05). A defined increment, in the concentration of hCG (3 times the mean basal level) occurred 11 to 15 days after the peak of LH and appeared 3 to 5 days after the increased excretion of the steroid glucuronides.