Serum hormone changes in parturients given steroid preparations to suppress lactation

Prior to the introduction of bromocriptine as the drug of choice for the suppression of puerperal lactation, long-acting sex steroid preparations, especially estrogen-androgen combinations, were utilized for many years to suppress postpartum lactation. In spite of the popularity of these steroids, little information is available concerning serum hormonal levels following their postpartum administration. In this study, 31 postpartum women were divided into three groups: group C, 12 women receiving no hormone therapy; group E + T, 10 women receiving an estrogen-testosterone preparation; group E, 9 women receiving an estrogen preparation. Immediately after delivery, serum estradiol, testosterone, and prolactin levels were elevated--and similar--in the three groups. Following treatment, serum estradiol levels were higher in groups E + T and E than in group C. In group E + T, serum testosterone levels increased to the high adult male range by 24 hours after injection and rose further to as high as 7,000 ng% (mean 2,000 ng%) by 72 hours. At 2 weeks, serum testosterone levels in this group of patients were still above the upper limit of the normal adult male range. After 6 weeks, the mean serum testosterone level was still five times the normal level for a nonpregnant female.