Fetal sex dependent hormone levels in early pregnant women with elevated maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein.
Maternal serum and amniotic hormone levels have been investigated in two groups of women in pregnancy weeks 18-21. One group (B) was composed of women with high alpha-fetoprotein levels in serum without fetal abnormality, and a matched control group (A) with normal alpha-fetoprotein levels in serum. Amongst group B women were four pregnancy complications: two spontaneous abortions, one premature delivery, and one cesarean section due to fetal asphyxia. Group B women were significantly different from group A women. Thus, higher maternal serum levels of total estriol (P = 0.030), testosterone (P = 0.016), and alpha-fetoprotein (P = 0.018) were noted in the presence of male fetuses; and higher hPL (P = 0.004), FSH (P = 0.037), and alpha-fetoprotein (P = 0.002) concentrations in women carrying female fetuses, who were accompanied by lower total estriol concentrations (P = 0.045). Differences between groups B and A in terms of amniotic fluid analyses were only related to female fetal sex. Thus, group B showed higher hPL (P = 0.028), testosterone (P = 0.020), and FSH (P = 0.006) levels, and lower alpha-fetoprotein (P = 0.013) concentrations. It is concluded that elevated maternal serum levels of alpha-fetoprotein are accompanied in female fetuses by an endocrine milieu different from that of matched controls. This difference may put the conceptus at a disadvantage, but the majority of the girls were born on time without signs of small-for-date.
D000328:Adult; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000032:analysis*; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000032:analysis; D004964:Estriol / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010928:Placental Lactogen / Q000032:analysis; D011247:Pregnancy; D011388:Prolactin / Q000032:analysis; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012732:Sex Determination Analysis; D013739:Testosterone / Q000032:analysis*; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis*
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D013739:Testosterone; D011388:Prolactin; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D010928:Placental Lactogen; D004964:Estriol