THE MEASUREMENT OF OESTRADIOL AND PROGESTERONE IN PLASMA FROM NORMAL, INFERTILE AND CLOMIPHENE TREATED WOMEN

Abstract

The use of clomiphene to assess ovarian function in women has been monitored by the determination of plasma oestradiol and progesterone concentrations. The assay of both hormones was carried out on one plasma sample after separation of oestradiol and progesterone by TLC. The oestradiol was determined by double competitive binding to rabbit uterine supernatant (Robertson et al. 1971) and the progesterone by competitive binding to corticosteroid binding globulin. After clomiphene stimulation the oestradiol levels in the follicular and luteal phases exceeded those found in normal cycles; this was also true of progesterone concentrations during the luteal phase. The methods of assay were also used to follow changes in plasma hormone levels during the early stages of pregnancy in hitherto infertile women. These cases included a twin pregnancy and a pregnancy which terminated in abortion at 7 weeks.