title: Effect of maternal dexamethasone therapy on the levels of oestrogens, progesterone and chorionic gonadotrophin in amniotic fluid and maternal serum.
abstract: Ten women were given dexamethasone intramuscularly in order to accelerate fetal lung maturation. Amniotic fluid and maternal serum were assayed for oestrone, oestradiol-17beta, oestriol, progesterone and chorionic gonadotrophin by specific radioimmunoassays before and after the treatment. No hormonal changes were observed in amniotic fluid. The serum levels of oestrogens 2 to 5 days after treatment were not significantly different from those before treatment, indicating that the previously reported suppression of oestrogen production by glucocorticoids disappears rapidly after treatment stops.
mesh_terms: D000649:Amniocentesis; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000032:analysis*; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004964:Estriol / Q000032:analysis; D004967:Estrogens / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D004970:Estrone / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D004967:Estrogens; D004970:Estrone; D011374:Progesterone; D003907:Dexamethasone; D004964:Estriol