Plasma androstanediol glucuronide levels during pregnancy.

In distinction to Braunstein and Horton (1985) who reported an increase in maternal 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha, 17 beta-diol glucuronide (ADG) plasma levels during pregnancy, we observed a decrease of these levels from the 10th week of pregnancy; the decrease parallels the decrease in dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEA-S) concentration. As the latter is a major precursor of ADG, the decrease in ADG levels during pregnancy is not unexpected and in line with the concept that ADG is a parameter of androgenicity.