Amniotic Fluid Androgens and Estrogens in Midgestation

Abstract

Amniotic fluid androgen and estrogen levels associated with 48 male and 72 female fetuses between 14 and 20 weeks of gestation were measured. Amniotic fluid testosterone levels were significantly higher (P less than 0.001) in the male (224 +/- 11 pg/ml) than the female fetuses (39 +/- 2 pg/ml) with no overlap of values. Amniotic fluid androstenedione concentrations were also significantly higher (P less than 0.001) with male (1024 +/- 53 pg/ml) than female fetuses (668 +/- 39 pg/ml), but there was overlap. There was no difference between anmiotic fluid dehydroepiandrosterone levels for the two sexes. Estrone concentrations were slightly but not significantly higher with the male (353 +/- 33 pg/ml) than with female fetuses (331 +/- 28 pg/ml), while estradiol concentrations were significantly higher (P =0.002) with the female (96 +/- 8 pg/ml) than male (64 +/- 4 pg/ml) fetuses. It is interpreted that the higher amniotic fluid testosterone and androstenedione levels for the male fetuses reflect fetal testicular secretion. The significantly higher estradiol concentrations for the female fetuses may reflect early ovarian secretion.

Testosterone levels in umbilical cord blood, maternal peripheral plasma and amniotic fluid of the crab-eating monkey (Macaca fascicularis)

“…UAPT in humans is higher in male fetuses before mid-gestation than in females ; this difference then decreases and finally disappears around term (Mizuno et al,1968 ;Rivarola, Forest and Migeon, 1968 ;Saez and Bertrand, 1969 ;Abramovich and Rowe, 1973 ;Reyes et at., 1974). AFT level progresses in the same way (Saez and Bertrand, 1969 ;Younglai, 1972 ;Younglai and Lin, 1973 ;Frasier, Weiss and Horton, 1974 ;Giles et al, 1974 ;Judd et al, 1976 ;Belisle, Fencl and Tulchinsky, 1977 ;Robinson et al, 1977 ;Zondek, Mansfield and Zondek, 1977 (Fouquet, Dang and Meusy-Dessolle, 1978), is the testosterone found of testicular origin ? It is highly probable, for Resko (1970) (Van Wagenen and Simpson, 1965).…”

A higher aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage incidence in women prior to menopause: a retrospective analysis of 4,895 cases from eight hospitals in China

“…The arteries could undergo postmenopausal connective tissue changes (22). The collagen wasting commonly observed in bone and skin in the postmenopausal period due to decreased estrogen levels could possibly be responsible for the formation of cerebral aneurysms (23)(24)(25)(26). Estrogen has been found to improve lipid profiles and thus may reduce the risk for arteriosclerosis, which has been considered a risk factor for aneurysm formation (27,28).…”

Twin births, sex of children and maternal risk of ovarian cancer: a cohort study in Norway

“…There is growing evidence that oestrogens play a role in ovarian cancer carcinogenesis, as well as tumour progression (Mink et al, 2002;Cunat et al, 2004;Riman et al, 2004). The hCG level is higher during female than male gestations (Robinson et al, 1977;Haning et al, 1989;Cerhan et al, 2000;Luke et al, 2005) and hCG is involved in oestrogen production during pregnancy (Risch, 1998). Moreover, the hCG level has been found to be higher in twin than in singleton pregnancies (Haning et al, 1989;Luke et al, 2005), and highest when both twins are girls (Steier et al, 1989).…”

“…Maternal hormone levels have been found to be higher in pregnancies involving twins (TambyRaya and Ratnam, 1981;Risch, 1998;Storgaard et al, 2006). The levels of oestrogens, androgens and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) seem to differ by sex of the fetus in singleton gestations (Robinson et al, 1977;Forest et al, 1980;Haning et al, 1989;Cerhan et al, 2000;Luke et al, 2005). A different risk pattern according to sex of children may therefore throw light on alternative hormone-related hypotheses, but few studies have focused on this issue.…”