[Correlation of maternal androgens in early and late pregnancy. A correlation with fetal size and sex].

In the course of prospective investigations blood was withdrawn for steroid analysis in 50 gravidae between 12th and 16th and between 26th and 30th week of gestation. The levels of androstenedione, testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, 17-hydroxyprogesterone and sex hormone binding globuline were determined by radioimmuno-assay evaluating a possible correlation between the androgen values and growth retardation or the sex of the fetus. Neither during the early nor during the late period of pregnancy significant differences concerning the androgen levels could be detected among both sexes. Worth mentioning is the significant decrease of the DHEA-S levels during the late period of gestation, which occurred in both groups, whereas the androstenedione, testosterone and especially the 17-OH-P levels showed a significant increase. The SHBG values almost did not change at all.