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summary Blood was collected from 53 normal women in the 38th week of pregnancy. The plasma concentration of unconjugated oestriol, total oestriol and oestriol sulphate was measured and also human placental lactogen and pregnancy specific β1 glycoprotein. The normal spread of the two proteins was found to be slightly smaller than that of the oestrogens. The concentrations of unconjugated and of total oestriol were related; otherwise these substances varied independently of one another. The concentration of these substances was not related to other obstetric parameters.

Summary Serial measurements were made of the concentration of plasma oestriol in normal pregnancy. The mean curve and limits of normal variation have been defined. The mean curve was analyzed and the correlations between various features of the pregnancy and plasma oestriol concentrations at particular stages of gestation were examined. Serial plasma oestriol concentrations seemed to give a better indication of feto-placental function than serial urinary oestriol excretion values.

Summary Serial plasma oestriol values were measured in nine insulin-dependent diabetics during pregnancy. While the plasma oestriol values wete lower than those in uncomplicated non-diabetic pregnancy the curves were of similar shape. It is suggested that serial plasma oestriol determinations in assessing feto-placental function in diabetic pregnancy should be interpreted with caution.

To determine the relationship of plasma estriol and retarded intrauterine fetal growth, 14 primiparous and 4 multiparous pregnant women with suspected intrauterine growth retardation were studied by radioimmunoassay of weekly blood samples, and compared with 25 normal pregnant women as controls. The plasma estriol levels in all 4 hypertensive mothers who gave birth to infants of low birthweight were all much less than the normal averages. Estriol levels were also less than average, though not as significantly, in 7 of the 9 normotensive patients with low birthweight infants, and in the 5 patients with low weight gain but normal-weight infants. Thus, a dramatic reduction in estriol concentration occurs in hypertensive patients with intrauterine fetal growth retardation. No correlation was found between predelivery plasma estriol concentration and infant birthweight or incidence of fetal distress. Though both have growth retardation, hypertensive patients have a much higher incidence of fetal distress (75%) than normotensive patients (29%). Further research is being conducted on the relationship of plasma estriol and blood pressure in this regard.

Summary The concentration of unconjugated oestriol, of oestriol glucosiduronate and of oestriol sulphate was measured by a radioimmunoassay technique in the plasma of five normal primigravidae before and during labour. The only consistent changes in the concentration of any of oestriol fractions was a tendency for the concentration of unconjugated oestriol to rise to a peak immediately before the onset of labour.