INFLUENCE OF OOPHORECTOMY ON STEROID EXCRETION IN EARLY PREGNANCY

Abstract

In a pregnant patient in whom one ovary and Fallopian tube had been extirpated previously, the remaining ovary and tube were removed (together with the corpus luteum of pregnancy) seventy-eight days after the last menstruation. Complete ablation of ovarian tissue did not influence the urinary excretion of estrone, 17β-estradiol and estriol; it resulted in a transient but significant rise in pregnane-3α,20α-diol and 17-hydroxycorticosteroid output, but 17-ketosteroid excretion remained unchanged. It is concluded that the ovarian contribution to the excretion of estrogen and pregnanediol at this stage of pregnancy is very small, or nil.