Method for the quantitation of steroids in umbilical cord plasma

A method for simultaneous quantitation of nine steroids in cord plasma is described which consists of Amberlite XAD-2-column chromatography at constant temperature of 45 degrees C, enzyme hydrolysis with beta-glucoronidase/aryl sulfatase, addition of five radioactive internal standards, ethyl acetate extraction, thin layer chromatography and quantitation by gas-liquid chromatography after trimethylsilyl ether derivative formation. Reliability criteria are established and the following steroid concentrations found: progesterone, 132.1 +/- 102.5 mug/100 ml; pregnenolone, 57.3 +/- 45.7 mug/100 ml; dehydroepiandrosterone, 46.5 +/- 29.4 mug/100 ml; pregnanediol, 67.5 +/- 46.6 mug/100 ml; 16-ketoandrostenediol 19.8 +/- 13.7 mug/100 ml; 16 alpha-hydroxydehydroepiandrosterone, 126.3 +/- 86.9 mug/100 ml; 16 alpha-hydroxypregnenolone, 78.2 +/- 56.5 mug/100 ml; androstenetriol, 22.2 +/- 17.5 mug/100 ml and oestriol, 127.7 +/- 116.9 mug/100.