title: Hormonal changes causing rhinitis in pregnancy among Malaysian women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the aetiology of rhinitis occurring in pregnancy, by (1) describing the relationship between pregnancy rhinitis and serum oestrogen, progesterone, placental growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor, and (2) assessing the prevalence of pregnancy rhinitis among Malaysian women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study involving 30 pregnant women followed at an ante-natal clinic for 14 months. Hormone levels were analysed during pregnancy and the post-partum period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Levels of all four hormones were elevated in the third trimester, compared with first trimester and postpartum values. Rhinitis patients had higher levels of oestrogen and insulin-like growth factor 1 in the third trimester than non-rhinitis patients, although these differences were not statistically significant. The prevalence of rhinitis was 53.3 per cent, with most cases occurring in the third trimester. Patients with pregnancy rhinitis had a higher prevalence of female babies, compared with non-rhinitis patients (p = 0.003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pregnancy rhinitis was significantly more common in women giving birth to female babies. Women with pregnancy rhinitis had a non-significant elevation in oestrogen and insulin-like growth factor 1 levels, compared with those without rhinitis.
authors: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Indirani
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Raman
authors: S Z
authors: SZ
authors: Omar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004967:Estrogens / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D008296:Malaysia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015508:Nasal Obstruction; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens; D011374:Progesterone; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I