[Changes in the values of estrogen stimulated neurophysin, oxytocin and prostaglandin in the maternal blood after the administration of dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate to the pregnant women near term].

UNLABELLED

In order to examine the effect of dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHA-S) on the production of uterus-contractive substances in perinatal women, the concentrations of estrogen stimulated neurophysin (ESN), oxytocin, 13, 14-dihydro-15-keto-Prostaglandin F2 alpha(PGF2 alpha) and DHA-S related steroids in the maternal blood of 12 cases of primigravida were serially estimated after intravenous administration of 200mg DHA-S twice a week from 38 weeks of gestation till the onset of labor.

RESULTS

1. The duration of labor was significantly shortened in the DHA-S group (mean; 9.3 +/- 2.8 hours) compared to the 11 control cases (13.5 +/- 5.2 hours). 2) i) The ESN concentration, which correlated well with that of free estradiol-17 beta, increased significantly at 1 week after the Ist administration. ii) The oxytocin concentration, which correlated well with that of ESN, increased significantly at 39 weeks of gestation, the first stage of labor and especially at delivery compared to the control. iii) The PGF2 alpha concentration, which increased in parallel with those of DHA-S, estrone-S and pregnenolone-S, increased significantly at delivery in comparison with the control and correlated well with estrone-S in the DHA-S group.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that DHA-S administration to perinatal women may enhance the production of ESN, oxytocin and PGF2 alpha in the fetoplacento-maternal compartment, which may result in the shortening of labor.