STEROIDS IN CYST FLUID FROM OVARIES OF NORMALLY MENSTRUATING WOMEN AND OF WOMEN WITH FUNCTIONAL UTERINE BLEEDING

Abstract

Progesterone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, A4 -androstenedione, 20[image]vhydroxypregn-[DELTA]-en-3-one, testosterone, oestradiol-17-[beta]and oestrone were determined in 21 cyst fluids obtained from the ovaries of normally menstruating women and of patients with heavy irregular bleeding. In normally menstruating women, the proportion of estradiol was higher than that of progesterone at the beginning of the cycle, whereas in patients with irregular bleeding, progesterone was the predominant steroid and, with estradiol, was present at any time after a bleeding irrespective of the occurrence of ovulation. The determination of steroids which are intermediaries in the to transforma-tion of progesterone to estrogens permits certain deductions with regard to ovarian steroidogenesis.