ADRENAL FUNCTION IN PREGNANCY1

Abstract

The urinary excretion of glycogenic corticoids, ketosteroids, pregnanediol, estrogens and gonadotropins was followed in 9 pregnancy eases. The corticoids were assayed by the bioassay method of Venning, Kazmin and Bell and include those adrenal metabolites which have a specific effect on carbohydrate metabolism. There is an initial rise in excretion of corticoids in the first trimester of pregnancy which usually returns to normal levels by the 100-120th day. Between the 140th and 160th days, the urinary corticoids increase again reaching relatively high values. A falling off in excretion usually occurs in the last mo. and shortly after parturition the values are back to normal again. The ketosteroids when measured by the Pincus reaction remain at the same level throughout pregnancy. When the same fraction is assayed by the Zimmerman reaction an increase in ketosteroid excretion is seen beginning between the 140th-160th day. This increase in ketosteroids is attributed to the increased excretion of 20-ketosteroids. Only a slight increase is observed in the OH ketonic fraction. The relationship of the excretion of adrenal metabolites to the excretion of estrogens, pregnanediol, and the gonadotropin is discussed.