Importance of the DHEA-sulphate-test in pregnancy.

The DHEA-sulphate was applied in the 34th-41st weeks of pregnancy for the estimation of placental function (foetoplacental unit) in normal and pathological pregnancies. It has been established that: the peak of oestrogen excretion is in the dawn hours; the diurnal rhythm of E1 + E2 + E3 excretion is identical; the DHEA-SO4----oestrogen conversion takes place immediately, and within the subsequent 8-10 hours the urinary oestrogen values return to the original level; in physiological pregnancies between the 34th-36th weeks the DHEA-sulphate test indicated normal function in 91% of the cases; in the 37th-41st weeks of apparently normal pregnancies the test showed pathological placental function in 50% of the cases; in pathological pregnancies between the 37th-41st weeks the test in 77% of the cases predicted placental dysfunction.