THE EXCRETION OF OESTROGEN AND PREGNANEDIOL BY PREGNANT AND PARTURIENT WOMEN

Abstract

In previous studies [Hain, 1938, 1939] the author examined the range of the excretion of oestrogen in the urine of 47 pregnant women during the last four months of gestation. The data comprised the oestrogen excreted in untreated urine, and the combined forms of oestrone and of oestriol, the general inference being that a rise in the combined forms occurred between the fifth and sixth months of pregnancy, followed by a slight drop and a further rise during the last month. It was pointed out, however, that important facts might be obscured by considering only averages and that each case should be examined individually since the range of hormone output was so great, both low and high levels of excretion being unassociated with any abnormal symptoms in the outcome of gestation. In the series referred to, the estimations of hormone concentration were made at monthly intervals and were, therefore, incapable