Elof D. B. Johansson

Plasma Levels of Nonconjugated Oestrone, Oestradiol‐17β and Oestriol During Uncomplicated Pregnancy

SummaryPlasma levels of unconjugated oestrone,1 oestradiol-17β and oestriol from the 22nd week of uncomplicated human pregnancy until delivery have been estimated by means of radioim-munoassays. In some cases, the oestrogens were separated by Sephadex LH-20 chromatography before the radioimmunoassays. Plasma levels of unconjugated oestrone increased from a mean of 3 ng/ml in the 22nd week to 9.9 ng/ml in week 41. Oestradiol-17β concentrations in plasma were estimated by two different radioimmunoassays. With the most specific method, plasma mean concentrations were found to rise from 7.5 ng/ml in the 22nd week to 23.6 ng/ml in the 38th week. A somewhat less specific assay with a cross-reaction of 50 per cent for oestrone gave a mean level of 8.3 ng/ml in week 22 increasing to 26.2 ng/ml in week 41. When unconjugated oestradiol-17β in plasma was estimated after Sephadex LH-20 chromatography somewhat lower concentrations were found.The results for the estimation of unconjugated oestriol in plasma were simila...

Radioimmunoassay of Norethindrone: Peripheral Plasma Levels After Oral Administration to Humans and Rhesus Monkeys

A radioimmunoassay for the measurement of norethindrone, utilizing an antiserum raised in sheep against norethindrone 3-(O-carboxymethyl) oximebovine serum albumin, and its application for determination of norethindrone concentrations in plasma is presented. The practical detection limit was .5 ng/ml plasma. No significant cross reaction was found for naturally occurring steroids. The cross reaction for d-norgestrel was 88% and for lynestrenol and R 2323 26%. Peripheral plasma levels of immunoreactive norethindrone were assayed at short intervals after oral administration of norethindrone in different doses to 6 human volunteers. Peak levels occurred within 1-2 hours. The plasma half-life of norethindrone was found to be about 3 hours during the first hours after ingestion and about 9 hours thereafter. A linear correlation was found between ingested dose per kg body weight and plasma peak levels. In 3 orally treated female rhesus monkeys the peak levels were lower and not as distinct as compared to that of the humans for the corresponding dose per kg body weight. The plasma half-life after the peak was about 8 1/2 hours.

The influence of conjugated estrogens in radioimmunoassays using different antibodies against estradiol-17β

Abstract Estradiol-17β 17-D-glucoronide and estrone-3-sulphate were found to give minor crossreaction in radio-immunoassay systems for estradiol-17β using two different types of antibodies. The antibodies used were prepared in sheep against estradiol-17β 17-succinyl-bovine serum albumin and 6-ketoestradiol-17β 6-(0-carboxymethyl)oxime-bovine serum albumin. Only minute quantities of conjugated estrogens were extracted from plasma by diethyl ether (

Plasma Progesterone Levels in Normal and Abnormal Pregnancies

Abstract. Plasma progesterone levels were estimated by competitive protein binding in 815 samples from healthy pregnant women with uncomplicated pregnancies. This series includes 32 patients who were followed serially throughout pregnancy. The mean level increased from 47 ng/ml in week 22 to 148 ng/ml in week 41. The spread was large. Individual patients showed very large variations between two consecutive weeks.

Plasma Levels of Nonconjugated Oestradiol‐17β and Oestriol in High Risk Pregnancies

SummaryThe plasma concentrations of nonconjugated oestradiol-17β1 and oestriol were estimated by radioimmunoassay in pregnant women with pre-eclampsia, retarded fetal growth, diabetes mellitus and Rh-immunization.The plasma levels of nonconjugated oestradiol-17β showed a considerable spread in all groups of patients, and no significant difference between women with an uncomplicated pregnancy and those with high risk pregnancies could be found. No “fetal danger zone” with increased risk of fetal demise could be established. The prognostic value of measurement of nonconjugated oestradiol-17β thus seems to be limited.The plasma levels of nonconjugated oestriol displayed a similar spread as in uncomplicated pregnancy. Patients with pre-eclampsia or retarded fetal growth showing at least one plasma sample with an oestriol concentration of four ng/ml or less after the 35th week of pregnancy had, however, an increased risk of fetal death or neonatal asphyxia. At levels higher than this “fetal danger zone” no int...

SERUM OESTROGENS AND PROGESTERONE AFTER NORMAL DELIVERY

The serum levels of oestrogens and progesterone were measured in 22 normal women after delivery. The first samples were obtained within seven days of delivery and the subsequent ones at weekly intervals thereafter until the return of menstruation. During lactation the serum oestrogen levels were usually at or below the lower range for the early follicular phase of the normal menstrual cycle. After the baby was weaned oestrogen levels rose gradually. With the exception of the first three days after delivery, serum progesterone values were generally low during lactation. They rose after the baby was weaned so that serum progesterone levels within the range of the luteal maximum of the normal menstrual cycle were sometimes reached at one to two weeks before the return of menstruation.

Plasma levels of progesterone achieved by different routes of administration

Plasma levels of progesterone used through different routes of administration for the treatment of gynecological disorders are reviewed as determined by the competitive protein-binding technique. Plasma progesterone in the normal menstrual cycle is low in the follicular phase jumps higher at the LH peak and rapidly rises during the luteal phase followed by a very rapid decline to menstruation levels. The quantitative range is from 0.3 ng/ml plasma at its lowest point to 10 ng/ml at the peak. Progesterone levels during pregnancy are much higher than during normal cycles slightly decreasing when the placenta takes over the progesterone production from the corpus luteum around the ninth week and then rising steadily to levels as high as 150 ng/ml. Plasma progesterone levels were measured in 35 women who were administered 10-100 mg progesterone by vaginal rectal or im routes. Absorption was rapid by all routes but progesterone disappeared more rapidly when administered vaginally or rectally than im. Plasma levels remained high (up to 60 ng/ml) longer than expected indicating some retention of progesterone at the site of administration. Experiments with medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) and ethinyl estradiol used as an oral contraceptive in women have shown that synthetic progesterone is capable of suppressing ovulation at sufficiently high doses. MPA also appears to inhibit progesterone production by the corpus luteum at doses of 60 mg/day but succeeding cycles are not affected. Im injections of 150 mg MPA dramatically affect ovarian function for several months.

Plasma Levels of Progesterone and Oestrogens in Women Treated with an Oral Contraceptive of Low Oestrogen Content (Ovostat 1375)

Abstract. The plasma levels of progesterone and oestrogens were measured during treatment with an oral contraceptive containing 37.5 μg of ethinyl oestradiol and 1 mg of lynestrenol (= 3‐desoxy‐17α‐ethinyl‐19‐nor‐testosterone) (Ovostat 1375, Organon, Oss, Holland). Blood samples were taken every other day during 9 complete cycles in 5 healthy women. The plasma levels of progesterone were in the range of those found during the early follicular phase of the normal women. No ovulation seemed to have occurred. The mean plasma levels of oestrogens (oestradiol and oestrone) during treatment were below those found during the early follicular phase of 34 normal cycles although overlapping of values occurred. The ratio between oestradiol and oestrone during treatment was 1:2 vs. 1:1 during the early follicular phase of the normal cycles. In two cycles treatment was started during the midcyclic rise of oestrogens. No rise of progesterone indicating corpus luteum formation was found.

Return of Ovulation During the Postpartum Period

Abstract. The occurrence of ovulation was determined in 21 healthy women after full term delivery by quantitation of the serum progesterone, basal body temperature and cervical mucous ferning tests. The basal body temperature was recorded daily starting during the first week postpartum and serum progesterone estimations and cervical mucus ferning tests were performed at weekly intervals starting after the first month postpartum. All patients were followed until the first postpartum menstruation, and thereafter 18 women continued the study till the second menstruation. The women investigated breast‐fed their infants for periods ranging between one and 14 weeks. Ovulation during lactation occurred in none of the cases. After weaning, when menstruation was resumed, ovulation occurred less frequently in patients who lactated for a short period as compared to those who lactated for relatively longer. When the duration of postpartum amenorrhoea was short ovulation preceded the first menstruation less frequently than in women with relatively longer postpartum amenorrhoea. The incidence of ovulation before either the first or the second menstruation was lower in primiparae than in multi‐parae. None of 12 women aged 25 years or less ovulated before the first menstruation while 7 ovulated before the second menstruation. In women above 25 years of age, ovulation occurred in 6 out of 9 before the first menstruation and in 5 out of 6 before the second menstruation. The basal body temperature and the cervical mucous ferning tests were equally adequate to detect ovulation as the serum progesterone concentration.

EFFECTS OF DAILY ADMINISTRATION OF A RETROSTEROID ON THE PLASMA LEVELS OF PROGESTERONE AND ON THE URINARY EXCRETION OF LUTEINIZING HORMONE AND TOTAL OESTROGENS

Following one control cycle, four women were treated with 4 mg. daily of the retrosteroid Ro 6‐3129 during two menstrual cycles. Judged by the plasma levels of progesterone and the urinary excretion of LH and total oestrogens, the control and treatment cycles were ovulatory.