Inhibin A and activin A in the first trimester of human pregnancy.
Recent studies show that high concentrations of inhibin A and activin A are present in the maternal serum throughout human pregnancy. The aim of this study was to determine whether the corpus luteum produces significant quantities of inhibin A and activin A during the first trimester of pregnancy. This prospective study examined two groups of women who had blood samples taken from 5-12 weeks gestation. One group consisted of 14 women with donor egg pregnancies (8 singletons and 6 multiples) who did not have corpora lutea, and the other group consisted 5 women with spontaneous pregnancies who had corpora lutea. Inhibin A and activin A were measured at weekly intervals using specific enzyme immunoassays. All pregnancies progressed to term, with healthy babies being delivered. Maternal serum concentrations of inhibin A significantly increased throughout the study period in the donor egg pregnancies (P < 0.001) and the control pregnancies (P < 0.001). Circulating concentrations of activin A also increased significantly in both the spontaneous and donor egg pregnancies (P < 0.001) during the study period. However, the concentrations of inhibin A and activin A in the first trimester of human pregnancy were not significantly different in the women with or without corpora lutea, suggesting a fetoplacental origin. Multiple donor egg pregnancies were found to have higher concentrations of inhibin A (P < 0.001) and activin A (P < 0.05) compared with singleton donor egg pregnancies, which also supports a placental source.
Birdsall
M
M
Nuffield Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, United Kingdom.
Ledger
W
W
Groome
N
N
Abdalla
H
H
Muttukrishna
S
S
D028341:Activins; D000328:Adult; D003338:Corpus Luteum / Q000378:metabolism; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D004958:Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007265:Inhibins / Q000097:blood*; D016729:Leuprolide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D018587:Oocyte Donation; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011374:Progesterone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011446:Prospective Studies
D028341:Activins; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D007265:Inhibins; D016729:Leuprolide