CORTISOL AND CORTISONE IN SALIVA OF PREGNANCY

Abstract

SUMMARY: The concentration of cortisol and cortisone in mixed saliva has been measured in normal non-pregnant women, normal pregnant women in the third trimester of pregnancy and pregnant ones with mild toxaemia in the third trimester. The ratio of cortisol to cortisone was 1:4 for the non-pregnant and 1:5 for the pregnant women. The mean concentration of cortisol for the pregnant subjects was twice that of the non-pregnant and the mean concentration of cortisone three times that of the non-pregnant women. Filtration studies showed no significant binding of cortisol or cortisone in the saliva. It is concluded that the raised concentration of cortisol and cortisone in saliva indicates a raised concentration in the cells of the salivary gland. If this rise is common to the connective tissues generally it provides a reasonable explanation for the remission of rheumatoid arthritis experienced by some patients in the latter months of pregnancy.