title: The effect of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate on serum steroid concentration in singleton and twin pregnancies and its effect on cervical canal-ripening in singleton pregnancies.
abstract: Each of 20 pregnant women (greater than or equal to 39 weeks) was given an intravenous injection of various doses (50, 100, 200 and 400 mg) of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHA-S) and each of 5 pregnant women (greater than or equal to 39 weeks) was given glucose solution as a control. After the administration of DHA-S, significant increases in serum estrogen concentration, especially estradiol-17 beta concentration, and in the Bishop score were observed. The maximum increase in the level of estradiol-17 beta was significantly correlated with the doses of 50-200 mg of DHA-S. However, serum levels of estrone or estriol were not dose-dependently increased by DHA-S. Since the rate of conversion of DHA-S to estrogen did not necessarily seem to be dose-dependent, there may be some limitation regarding converted doses of DHA-S. There was a significant correlation between the increase in serum estrogen concentration and the increase in the Bishop score. Two hundred mg DHA-S were administered to 4 subjects pregnant with twins. Serum estrogen concentrations in these subjects were significantly higher than those in singleton pregnancies after the administration.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000187:drug effects*; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D004964:Estriol / Q000097:blood; D004967:Estrogens / Q000097:blood*; D004970:Estrone / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010925:Placental Function Tests; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000187:drug effects*; D011272:Pregnancy, Multiple / Q000187:drug effects*; D014427:Twins
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens; D004970:Estrone; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D004964:Estriol