Serum Levels of Unconjugated and Total Oestrogens and Dehydroepiandrosterone, Progesterone and Urinary Oestriol Excretion in Pre-Eclampsia

Peripheral serum levels of unconjugated (E₁ and total (tE₁) oestrone, unconjugated oestradiol-17Β, unconjugated (E₃) and total (tE₃) oestriol, progesterone, unconjugated dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHAS), and urinary tE₃ excretion were determined in pre-eclamptic patients at gestational weeks 32 and 36 and in women with normal pregnancy at the corresponding length of gestation. DHA and DHAS were also analyzed in samples taken 6 weeks after delivery. There were no differences between pre-eclamptic and normal subjects in unconjugated oestrogens and progesterone. Serum tE₁ and tE₃ levels and urinary tE₃ were significantly lower, and the E₁/tE₁ and E₃/tE₃ ratios significantly higher in the pre-eclampsia patients. Serum DHA and the DHA/DHAS ratio were significantly elevated in the pre-eclampsia patients during pregnancy, while no differences in these respects were found in the samples taken 6 weeks after delivery. There were no differences in serum DHAS levels. The findings are thought to reflect a general decrease in fetoplacental oestrogen production in combination with a reduced hepatic steroid conjugation in pre-eclamptic subjects.