The iron stores of 32 healthy pregnant women were evaluated longitudinally during pregnancy and 6 months post partum by serum ferritin assay and by bone marrow iron content. Half of the women were receiving oral iron while the others were not given iron supplementation.Women receiving iron could maintain their iron stores throughout the pregnancy. By contrast, women without iron therapy had low serum ferritin values, pointing to the absence of iron stores during the last trimester, and 6 of these 16 women developed anemia. This was confirmed by estimation of the quantity of stainable iron in the bone marrow. In addition serum iron, transferrin and red cell MCV values indicated iron deficient erythropoesis.During a 6-month period after pregnancy the women receiving supplemental iron during pregnancy had a significant increase in their serum ferritin concentrations, indicating restoration of iron stores.Women not receiving iron during pregnancy had exhausted iron stores at term and serum ferritin values stayed low even at 6 months after delivery. If iron therapy was instituted after parturition, serum ferritin assays indicated restoration of iron stores within the ensuing 6 month. To prevent iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy supplemental iron is advisable for all pregnant women in our country.

Serum FSH, LH, PRL, estradiol, pregnenolone, progesterone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, androstenedione, testosterone, 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone, and androsterone were measured radioimmunologically in 20 normal girls aged 13-17 yr. Samples were taken every day or every second day during one menstrual cycle. The cycles recorded could be divided into three groups. The first and oldest group consisted of 10 girls with a mean gynecological age (years since menarche) of 2.9 yr. The luteal phase was at least 11 days and the progesterone concentration was at least 5 ng/ml. The testosterone rise (mean, 55%) on the day of LH surge correlated well with the simultaneous progesterone rise (mean, 270%) and the following luteal progesterone secretion. A negative correlation was seen between the FSH concentration on days 3-4 of the cycle and the length of the follicular phase. The second group consisted of 4 girls who had a mean gynecological age of 1.5 yr. The luteal phase was of 4- to 8-day duration and the progesterone secretion was lower than in group I. The follicular phase testosterone concentration was lower in group II as compared to group I. No "periovulatory" testosterone increases were seen, although every cycle displayed an LH and FSH peak. The third group consisted of 6 girls with a mean gynecological age of 1.1 yr. These cycles were anovulatory, as the serum progesterone concentration never exceeded 1.0 ng/ml. In two cycles, signs of follicular maturation were seen. In the four others, the androgen levels tended to be elevated. In two cases, the testosterone and androstenedione concentrations were 2-4 times elevated from the beginning of these two cycles. Thus, the hormonal pattern of adolescent menstrual cycles is far from uniform. It is very likely that in addition to gonadotropins, estradiol and progesterone, androgens may also have a role in the development and maintenance of normal menstrual function in the female.

Abstract. Serum sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) concentrations were measured by an immunoradiometric assay, as part of a longitudinal study of puberty in girls, and were related to age. pubertal stage, age at menarche, weight, nature of the menstrual cycle and serum concentrations of sex steroids. A slow but very significant decrease was seen in SHBG from 77 nmol/l at 8–10 years of age to about 50 nmol/l after 15 years of age. Serum SHBG concentrations showed weak negative correlations with those of androstenedione and testosterone during puberty. The closest associations found between SHBG and the parameters measured were negative correlations with weight and body fat percentage in both pre-menarcheal and post-menarcheal girls, even after the effect of age was accounted for by calculating partial correlation coefficients. Girls who experienced early menarche (before 13.0 years) had lower SHBG but higher oestradiol serum concentrations at 10.0–15.9 years of age compared to girls with later menarche. In ovulatory menstrual cycles, a significant increase in SHBG was found from the early to the late part of the cycle, whereas no changes took place in anovulatory cycles. Serum concentrations of SHBG showed positive correlations with those of oestradiol and progesterone in specimens taken in the late part of the cycle. In view of the weak relationships between serum SHBG and sex steroid concentrations, and the strong relationships between SHBG, weight and body fat percentage, factors other than steroids have to be considered in the regulation of SHBG levels during puberty.