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Testosterone levels in midtrimester maternal and fetal plasma and amniotic fluid
Author(s) -
Rodeck C. H.,
Gill D.,
Rosenberg D. A.,
Collins W. P.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
prenatal diagnosis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.956
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1097-0223
pISSN - 0197-3851
DOI - 10.1002/pd.1970050303
Subject(s) - amniotic fluid , sexing , fetus , testosterone (patch) , medicine , gestation , endocrinology , endocrine system , pregnancy , obstetrics , hormone , biology , bioinformatics , genetics
Abstract Testosterone was measured in maternal plasma (58 samples), amniotic fluid (71 samples) and fetal plasma (55 samples) in 79 patients between 15 and 23 weeks' gestation. Maternal plasma testosterone levels were unrelated to fetal sex. Amniotic fluid testosterone was significantly higher in male than female fetuses but did not reliably predict fetal sex. A correct diagnosis of fetal sex was made by testosterone assay of pure fetal plasma in 39 out of 40 males and in 15 out of 15 females using 1.70 nmol/1 as the cut‐off value. This investigation is not the method of choice for routine fetal sexing but may be of value in fetuses suspected of having certain endocrine disorders.