Effect of parity and fetal sex on placental and luteal hormones during early first trimester

• Published in: Prenatal diagnosis 2012-02, Vol.32 (2), p.160-167
• Main Authors: Järvelä, Ilkka Y., Žáčková, Tamara, Laitinen, Päivi, Ryynänen, Markku, Tekay, Aydin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Birth Weight; Corpus Luteum - metabolism; Female; Fetus - physiology; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Male; Ovary - blood supply; Parity - physiology; Placental Hormones - blood; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Outcome; Pregnancy Trimester, First - blood; Sex; Sex Determination Analysis; Ultrasonography, Doppler; Ultrasonography, Prenatal; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0197-3851; 1097-0223
• DOI: 10.1002/pd.2921

ABSTRACT Objective Earlier studies have shown that maternal hormone secretion during late first or second trimester may be affected by gravidity. We examined the luteoplacental hormone secretion during 5–11 weeks of gestation in relation to gravidity. Method Forty‐one naturally conceived pregnancies underwent weekly assessment of serum human chorionic gonadotrophin, progesterone and 17‐OH progesterone, estradiol, testosterone, and pregnancy‐associated plasma protein A levels. In addition, the volume and the vasculature of the dominant ovary with corpus luteum were assessed with the use of a 3‐dimensional power Doppler ultrasonography. Areas under the curve for hormonal and ultrasonographic parameters were calculated. Results Twenty‐two out of the 41 women were pregnant for the first time. All the pregnancies were uncomplicated and resulted in term deliveries of appropriately grown newborns. During pregnancy weeks 5–11, the secretion (area under the curve) of human chorionic gonadotrophin (6.54 ± 0.03 vs 6.39 ± 0.05, p = 0.010), progesterone (3.49 ± 0.02 vs 3.36 ± 0.03, p = 0.003), and 17‐OH progesterone (2.73 ± 0.03 vs 2.62 ± 0.03, p = 0.013) were higher in primigravid than in multigravid women. No other differences were detected between primigravid and multigravid women. Conclusion The placental function already differs between primigravid and multigravid women during the first weeks of pregnancy, which reflects the corpus luteal function. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.