Studies of maternal and fetal 11-deoxycorticosterone, corticosterone,18-hydroxycorticosterone and aldosterone in normal and toxemic pregnancy.

Simultaneous determination of maternal and fetal plasma 11-deoxycorticosterone (DOC), corticosterone (B), 18-hydroxycorticosterone (18OH-B) and aldosterone (ALDO) in normal and toxemic pregnancies was performed by utilizing a newly developed radioimmunoassay. The mean levels of plasma DOC and ALDO in normal term pregnancy were significantly higher than those of nonpregnant women. Comparing the mean levels of umbilical arterial plasma to those in maternal plasma at delivery, DOC and ALDO were consistently higher in the former, while B was higher in the latter, and 18OH-B was largely unchanged. However, no umbilical arteriovenous gradient was found in any corticosteroid measured. In toxemia of pregnancy, the corticosteroid levels in the maternal plasma were lower than those in normal pregnancies, and in umbilical arterial plasma, B was significantly higher and 18OH-B and ALDO remained almost the same as those in normal pregnancy. Thus, it appears that ALDO synthesis in mother in normal term pregnancy was enhanced but in toxemia of pregnancy it was suppressed, while in the fetus, it was enhanced not only in normal pregnancy but also in toxemia of pregnancy.