Abstract
Progesterone and 17β-estradiol peripheral plasma levels have been determined during labor and after 1,3,6,12,24,48,72,96,120 and 144 h from delivery in a group of 7 women, whose corpus luteum had been removed at delivery and in a corresponding control group with intact corpus luteum. In both groups the results indicate a progressive fall of progesterone and 17β-estradiol, that is evident until 144 h for progesterone and 72 h for 17β-estradiol. The analysis of the two groups with the Student’s t test has shown significantly lower levels in the group of women, whose corpus luteum had been removed, at the 6th h (p<0.01), 12th h (p<0.02) and 24th h (p < 0.05) for progesterone and at 3rd h (p < 0.01) and 6th (p < 0.01) for 17β-estradiol. The significant difference for progesterone appearing later than for 17β-estradiol could be due to the fact that progesterone is also dismissed by the adipose tissue, where it is stored. A further statistical elaboration of the results, carried out by calculating the regression line and the transfer function, confirmed the different pattern in time of progesterone and 17β-estradiol plasma levels after delivery in the two groups of patients considered.
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Cinque, B., Montesanti, M.I., Parlati, E. et al. Corpus luteum function during the early puerperium. J Endocrinol Invest 8, 1–6 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03350624
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03350624