title: [Regulation of the fetoplacental unit. 3. Suppression of the fetoplacental unit by cortisol in relation to the maturity of the fetus].
abstract: The present study investigates the suppression of free plasma oestriol by cortisol in mature and immature foetuses. 6 patients in the 32nd week of gestation and 6 patients in the 38th week received an infusion of 100 mg cortisol (Hydrocortison Hoechst) from 10 a.m. to 12 a.m. Blood specimens (5 ml) were drawn from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in 60 or 30 minutes intervals, respectively. Free plasma oestriol was measured by radioimmunoassay, total plasma cortisol by the protein binding method. In the 32nd week of gestation plasma oestriol rose from 501 +/- 240 ng/ml to 1035 +/- 301 ng/ml, whereas oestriol decreased from 5.2 +/- 1.0 ng/ml to 3.9 +/- 1.5 ng/ml (p less than 0.001). After an analogous rise of cortisol, oestriol levels in the 38th week were suppressed from 12.5 +/- 3.3 ng/ml to 4.0 +/- 1.6 ng/ml (p less than 0.001). The degree of oestriol suppression of 68 percent in the 38th week markedly exceeded that of the 32nd week (25%). According to these results, the hypothalamic-hypophyseal system of mature foetuses exhibits a higher sensitivity to the feed back action of cortisol than immature foetuses.
authors.affiliation: Universitäts-Frauenklinik Homburg, Saar.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Reck
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mach
mesh_terms: D004964:Estriol / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange / Q000187:drug effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third
chemical_list: D004964:Estriol; D006854:Hydrocortisone
vernacular_title: Untersuchungen zur Regulation der fetoplazentaren Einheit. 3. Supprimierbarkeit der fetoplazentaren Einheit durch Kortisol in Abhängigkeit von der Reife des Föten.