Abstract
Summary
1. Plasma neutral 17-ketoste-roid determinations were made on control group of 33 normal men and women, and on experimental group of 30 pregnant women at term. 2. Adult controls showed mean plasma value of 61 μg/100 ml (S.E. = 5). No significant difference was found between values obtained on normal men vs. normal, nonpregnant women (P >.05). 3. Pregnant women showed a mean plasma value of 18 μg/ 100 ml (S.E. = 2). This value is significantly lower than the mean of control adults (P <.001). 4. From the results of plasma analyses it is concluded that there is a physiological reduction in maternal elaboration of 17-ketosteroids during the last 24 hours of pregnancy. The data of other workers on urinary excretion of 17-ketosteroids in pregnancy (1-4) suggest that this finding may hold for the last third of pregnancy. Renal clearance studies will be necessary before final conclusions can be drawn. 5. It is postulated that the inner cortex of the fetal adrenal and/or the placenta take over production of 17-ketosteroids during the latter part of pregnancy.
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