Gestation-specific reference intervals for comprehensive spot urinary steroid hormone metabolite analysis in normal singleton pregnancy and 6 weeks postpartum
Publisher DOI
PubMed ID
26337185
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Normal pregnancy depends on pronounced adaptations in steroid hormone concentrations. Although in recent years, the understanding of these hormones in pregnancy has improved, the interpretation is hampered by insufficient reference values. Our aim was to establish gestation-specific reference intervals for spot urinary steroid hormone levels in normal singleton pregnancies and 6 weeks postpartum.
METHODS:
Cross-sectional multicentre observational study. Women recruited between 2008 and 2013 at 3 University Hospitals in Switzerland (Bern), Scotland (Glasgow) and Austria (Graz). Spot urine was collected from healthy women undergoing a normal pregnancy (age, 16-45 years; mean, 31 years) attending routine antenatal clinics at gestation weeks 11, 20, and 28 and approximately 6 weeks postpartum. Urine steroid hormone levels were analysed using gas-chromatography mass spectrometry. Creatinine was also measured by routine analysis and used for normalisation.
RESULTS:
From the results, a reference interval was calculated for each hormone metabolite at each trimester and 6 weeks postpartum. Changes in these concentrations between trimesters and postpartum were also observed for several steroid hormones and followed changes proposed for index steroid hormones.
CONCLUSIONS:
Normal gestation-specific reference values for spot urinary steroid hormones throughout pregnancy and early postpartum are now available to facilitate clinical management and research approaches to steroid hormone metabolism in pregnancy and the early postpartum period.
Normal pregnancy depends on pronounced adaptations in steroid hormone concentrations. Although in recent years, the understanding of these hormones in pregnancy has improved, the interpretation is hampered by insufficient reference values. Our aim was to establish gestation-specific reference intervals for spot urinary steroid hormone levels in normal singleton pregnancies and 6 weeks postpartum.
METHODS:
Cross-sectional multicentre observational study. Women recruited between 2008 and 2013 at 3 University Hospitals in Switzerland (Bern), Scotland (Glasgow) and Austria (Graz). Spot urine was collected from healthy women undergoing a normal pregnancy (age, 16-45 years; mean, 31 years) attending routine antenatal clinics at gestation weeks 11, 20, and 28 and approximately 6 weeks postpartum. Urine steroid hormone levels were analysed using gas-chromatography mass spectrometry. Creatinine was also measured by routine analysis and used for normalisation.
RESULTS:
From the results, a reference interval was calculated for each hormone metabolite at each trimester and 6 weeks postpartum. Changes in these concentrations between trimesters and postpartum were also observed for several steroid hormones and followed changes proposed for index steroid hormones.
CONCLUSIONS:
Normal gestation-specific reference values for spot urinary steroid hormones throughout pregnancy and early postpartum are now available to facilitate clinical management and research approaches to steroid hormone metabolism in pregnancy and the early postpartum period.
Date Issued
2015-09-04
Publication Type
Article
Subject(s)
Subjects
Pregnancy reference values
•
Urine
•
Steroid metabolites
Language(s)
en
Author(s)
Delles, Christian | |
Currie, G | |
Schlembach, Dieter |
Journal
Reproductive biology and endocrinology
Publisher
BioMed Central
ISSN
1477-7827
Access(Rights)
open.access