Serum FSH and HCG during human pregnancy and puerperium.

Abstract

ABSTRACT Concentrations of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) were measured in the sera of 45 women during normal pregnancy and in a separate group of 9 women during delivery and at daily intervals in the puerperium. Cord sera were also studied. In addition, serum FSH and luteinizing hormone (LH) concentrations were measured in a group of 15 women at 6 weeks post partum. Serum FSH concentrations averaged 0.39 mU/ml (NIH-FSH-S1) and did not vary throughout pregnancy; the values were in the high normal range for adult nonpregnant premenopausal women. In the assay system the FSH material detected in pregnancy serum reacted in a fashion identical with that of the pituitary FSH standard. Highly purified HCG and human placental lactogen were also assayed and did not cross-react significantly in the FSH assay. There was no correlation between serum FSH and HCG concentrations. HCG and FSH concentrations were higher in maternal than in cord sera. The mean HCG and FSH maternal...