The Effect of Dehydroepiandrosterone-Sulfate (DHEA-S) upon

Abstract

Active alterations in urinary excretion of estriol were studied by vaginal cytology and endocrinology on pregnant women given 50mg of DHEA-S intravenously. Twenty of the women examined were in the 3rd trimester of normal pregnancy, 5 in the second trimester, and 3 in the state of intrauterine fetal death.The vaginal smears were fixed by an ether alcohol solution, and stained with either Papanicolaou EA 36 or PAS. Estriol in the 24-hour urine was assayed by means of the commercial E3-Kit available from Teikoku Hormone Mfg. Co. Ltd.In women in normal pregnancy, regardless of whether they were in the 2nd or 3rd trimester, the urinary excretion of estriol increased after adminis tration of 50mg of DHEA-S, and vaginal smears showed a tendency to a typical pregnant pattern. On the other hand, in patients with intrauterine fetal death, the vaginal smears revealed a postmaturity pattern, which was characterized by the absence of placards, increased acidophilic karyopyknotic superficial cells and leucocytes, and decreased cytoplasmic glycogen.