The Interpretation of Urinary Oestrogen and Pregnanediol Excretion in Pregnant Women Receiving Corticosteroids

Summary The urinary excretion of oestrogens and pregnanediol of 17 pregnant women who were receiving corticosteroids was measured. In all 10 patients who received less than 75 mg. cortisol (or its equivalent) daily and who gave birth to infants of satisfactory weight and without fetal abnormality, oestrogen excretion was within the normal range. The 4 patients who received less than 75 mg. cortisol daily but who showed subnormal oestrogen excretion gave birth to infants with retarded fetal growth or, in 1 instance, with hypoplastic adrenal glands. All 3 patients who received more than 75 mg. cortisol daily showed subnormal oestrogen excretion. Urinary pregnanediol excretion was within the normal range in 5 out of the 7 pregnancies in which oestrogen excretion was subnormal. It is concluded that subnormal oestrogen excretion in pregnant women who are receiving less than 75 mg. cortisol (or equivalent) daily is indicative of a failure of the fetus to thrive.