Amniotic and Urinary Oestriol Assays in Pregnancies Complicated by Rhesus Immunization

Abstract

Oestriol was measured in 163 samples of amniotic fluid obtained by amniocentesis from 53 rhesus negative women. It was not possible to correlate the oestriol concen-

Role of assays of total estriol in amniotic fluid for the diagnosis of fetal hypotrophy

“…In normal pregnancies numerous investigators have studied estriol levels in amniotic fluid. There are, however, relatively few detailed and representative studies of estriol in amniotic fluid s to special disturbances or diseases in pregnancy [8,10,15,21]. Obviously, estriol assays in amniotic fluid might contribute to antenatal identification of the high-risk hypotrophic fetus, s it could be shown in this study.…”

Biochemical Tests for the Assessment of Feto-Placental Function

“…Rather different conclusions were reached by Michie and Robertson (1971) who measured liquor oestrogen levels at regular intervals in five pregnancies with severely affected infants. Virtually all results were within one standard deviation of the mean level for mildly affected babies, and in five cases where affected babies died in the neonatal period only two patients had low concentrations of oestrogen in the liquor.…”

“…With regard to intrauterine transfusions, Michie and Robertson (1971) suggested that when this procedure did not result in a marked rise in oestrogen excretion, intrauterine fetal death was likely. Gordon, Crawford and Oakey (unpublished data), however, studied 54 patients and concluded that impending fetal death could not be predicted from the level of oestrogen excretion itself nor from changes in excretion following intrauterine transfusion.…”

Review article

“…These fmdings indicate the disparity between the placental and fetal conditions in this disorder. However steroid values alone do not provide a clear Brought to you by | The University of Auckland Library Authenticated Download Date | 6/4/15 11:15 PM guide to the timing of intrauterine transfusion or of delivery in rhesus isoimmunisation, although fetal progress after intrauterine blood transfusion appears to be reflected by the subsequent urinary estrogen values, which fall and remain low when fetal death follows [86,94]. HPL levels in maternal blood [131] and amniotic fluid [90] have been found to be consistently high in severely affected cases, but in general the greatest reliance is placed on bilirubin determinations in amniotic fluid.…”