Abstract
Extract: High levels of unconjugated estrone ((E1) 3-hydroxyestra-1,3,5(10)-triene-17-one) and estradiol ((E2) estra-1,3,5(10)-triene-3,17β-diol) were found at term in maternal venous, umbilical vein, and umbilical artery plasma. For estrone the respective values in nanograms per milliliter ±SD were 12.8 ± 5.9, 25.1 ± 6.5, and 13.2 ± 7.7. For estradiol the respective values were 17.3 ± 9.2, 8.1 ± 4.0, and 5.1 ± 3.2. For estrone, levels for umbilical vein were higher than those in the paired maternal and umbilical artery; estradiol was higher in maternal vein than in the paired umbilical vessels. Absence of the fetal adrenals was associated with low levels of estrone and estradiol for maternal and umbilical vessels, whereas, in anencephaly, only the maternal levels were markedly diminished. An initially rapid, and then a slower decline in both estrogens was found in normal infants during the first 72 hr of life.
Speculation: Despite extensive metabolism of unconjugated estrogen by the fetus, umbilical arterial levels of estrone and estradiol are high. Nevertheless, the neonate shows scant clinical evidence of those high levels. This could be due to incomplete development of estrogen receptors in target tissues, plasma protein binding of estrogen, competition between the biologically most potent estrogen estradiol and the less potent estrone and estriol ((E3) estra-1,3,5(10)-triene-3,16α;,17β-triol), or other factors.
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Kenny, F., Angsusingha, K., Stinson, D. et al. Unconjugated Estrogens in the Perinatal Period. Pediatr Res 7, 826–831 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197310000-00006
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197310000-00006
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