HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by DAWOOD, M. Y. Articles by RATNAM, S. S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by DAWOOD, M. Y. Articles by RATNAM, S. S.

Serum Unconjugated Estradiol-17ß in Normal Pregnancy Measured by Radioimmunoassay

From the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Singapore, Kandang Kerbau Hospital, Singapore 8, Republic of Singapore.

Abstract

Serum unconjugated estradiol-17ß (E₂) was measured by a radioimmunoassay method using a specific antibody raised against 6-oxo-estradiol-17ß succinyl bovine serum albumin conjugate. Serum E₂ estimation was performed on 294 normal single pregnancies from 6 weeks to 42 weeks' gestation, 28 samples from uncomplicated twin pregnancies, and 12 samples from uncomplicated triplet pregnancies. In late pregnancy, serum E₂ levels fluctuated throughout the day and were lowest at night. Unconjugated E₂ rose slowly from a mean ± SE of 2.10 ± 0.56 ng/ml at 6 to 7 weeks' gestation to 8.03 ± 0.97 ng/ml at 30 weeks' gestation. From the 30th week of pregnancy, unconjugated E₂ rose much more rapidly until term to reach a nadir at 41 weeks' gestation with a mean ± SE of 35.85 ± 2.96 ng/ml. It dropped to 24.00 ± 3.67 ng/ml at 42 weeks. There was a wide scatter of serum E₂ values during pregnancy. Serum E₂ concentrations in uncomplicated twin and triplet pregnancies were usually much higher than for single pregnancies or within the normal range for single pregnancies. The significance of these findings is discussed.