Functional life span of the corpus luteum gravidarum: an estimation from the mode of fluctuation of serum hormones after artificial termination of pregnancy and succeeding exogenous hCG administration.
Concentrations of estradiol (E2), progesterone (P), 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP), hCG and hPL were measured by radioimmunoassay in sera obtained serially from 35 subjects who received artificial termination of pregnancy and 24 of them were administered 10,000 IU of hCG 3 to 5 days later when endogenous hCG had sufficiently decreased. The subjects were operated respectively at 4-11 weeks (Group A) and 12-23 weeks (Group B) of gestation. In Group B, all the hormones declined promptly showing a hyperbolic pattern. In contrast, E2, P and 17-OHP in Group A revealed a significant delay of decline although hCG and hPL decreased as fast as hormones in Group B. When hCG was administered, P and 17-OHP showed a trend to elevate in Group A, but they showed a trend to decline in Group B. When compared in percentage value, the statistically significant difference is proved in 17-OHP between the two groups. The significant delay of E2, P and 17-OHP and the significant elevation of 17-OHP in Group A as compared with Group B were clearly demonstrated. Since 17-OHP is mainly of luteal origin, these findings seem to confirm that the corpus luteum gravidarum functions as far as 11 weeks of gestation and then involutes.
D000028:Abortion, Induced; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000097:blood* / Q000494:pharmacology; D003338:Corpus Luteum / Q000502:physiology*; D003340:Corpus Luteum Maintenance / Q000187:drug effects; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006908:Hydroxyprogesterones / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D006908:Hydroxyprogesterones; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D011388:Prolactin