Hormones in pregnancy

Abstract

The endocrinology of human pregnancy involves endocrine and metabolic changes that result from physiological alterations at the boundary between mother and fetus. Progesterone and oestrogen have a great role along with other hormones. The controversies of use of progestogen and others are discussed in this chapter. Progesterone has been shown to stimulate the secretion of Th2 and reduces the secretion of Th1 cytokines which maintains pregnancy. Supportive care in early pregnancy is associated with a significant beneficial effect on pregnancy outcome. Prophylactic hormonal supplementation can be recommended for all assisted reproduction techniques cycles. Preterm labor can be prevented by the use of progestogen. The route of administration plays an important role in the drug's safety and efficacy profile in different trimesters of pregnancy. Thyroid disorders have a great impact on pregnancy outcome and needs to be monitored and treated accordingly. Method of locating review: Pubmed, scopus

Determinants of Sweetness Preference: A Scoping Review of Human Studies

“…It should be noted that the authors did not control for the menstrual cycle in females. An increase in progesterone levels (i.e., a key hormone in both pregnancy and the menstrual cycle [143] during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle) was associated with an increase in food consumption [58] and an increase in sweetness preference [59]. Low-dose, but not high-dose, progestin (i.e., a form of progesterone) oral contraceptives also led to a significant increase in sweetness preference [55].…”

Crosstalk Between Female Gonadal Hormones and Vaginal Microbiota Across Various Phases of Women’s Gynecological Lifecycle

“…A similar antagonistic pattern is also observed across different stages of pregnancy ( Figure 5). The levels of progesterone and estrogen released by the placenta in pregnancy are much higher than those in menstrual cycle (almost two folds as compared to that during menstrual cycle) (Kumar and Magon, 2012). This hormonal surge causes excessive deposition of glycogen in vaginal epithelial walls and a consequent increase in the overall microbial diversity.…”

“…During the state of pregnancy, the female body undergoes numerous metabolic, immunological, and endocrine changes (Kumar and Magon, 2012). Notably, the structure and composition of microbial communities inhabiting different body sites alter concurrently with these physiological changes.…”

Menstrual Cycle Fluctuations of Progesterone and the Effect on Sleep Regulation

“…Conversely, progesterone, a steroid hormone, gradually increases from the start to the end of ovulation, continuing to rise into the luteal phase. 50 In addition to being involved in female sex characteristics and the maintenance of pregnancy, 52 progesterone influences sleep quality. 53 In healthy menstruating females, progesterone levels remain low through ovulation.…”