title: A comparative study of plasma 17beta-oestradiol, progesterone, placental lactogen and chorionic gonadotrophin in abortion induced with intra-amniotic prostaglandin F2alpha.
abstract: Serial estimations were made in plasma of 17beta-oestradiol (E2), progesterone and human placental lactogen (HPL) in 43 patients and of human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) in 34 patients during mid-trimester abortions induced with intra-amniotic prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF2alpha. Mean plasma concentrations of all the hormones showed a progressive fall after PGF2alpha. There was no relationship between the fall in levels of progesterone, HPL and HCG and the induction-abortion interval, signs of fetal distress or of intrauterine fetal death. Both the control level and the rate of fall of E2 were related to the induction-abortion interval and a rapid decline preceded intrauterine fetal death. The relationships of the progesterone/E2 ratio and the amniotic fluid volume/progesterone ratio to the induction-abortion interval were examined. The variation in the time at which significant falls in the concentration of individual hormones occurred was probably related to their respective half-lives in plasma.
mesh_terms: D000019:Abortifacient Agents; D000028:Abortion, Induced; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000097:blood; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010926:Placental Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D010928:Placental Lactogen / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood*; D011460:Prostaglandins F / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000019:Abortifacient Agents; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D010926:Placental Hormones; D011460:Prostaglandins F; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D010928:Placental Lactogen