Plasma 17-Ketosteroids of Full-Term and Premature Infants12

Abstract

Plasma samples were analyzed for neutral 17-ketosteroids from 19 full-term, newborn infants, and from 20 premature infants. The full-term newborns showed plasma 17-ketosteroid concentrations in the first 48 hours of life which were in excess of the mean value for non-pregnant women. These plasma concentrations then rapidly fell to unmeasurable values by the end of the first week of life. The premature infants showed maximal values higher than the values shown by the full-term infants, and measurable concentrations were still found up to 48 days of age. Possible sources of plasma 17-ketosteroids in the newborn were discussed. There appeared to be as yet no adequate explanation for the differences found between the full-term and premature infants.