[Endocrine function of the feto-placental complex in anemia of varying degrees of severity]

To assess the endocrine performance of the fetoplacental system in anemia-complicated pregnancy, blood levels of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DEAS), estriol (E3), estradiol (E2), progesterone (PRG) and placental hormone were studied in 287 normal women and female patients with varying anemias. Increased levels of PRG found in the blood of anemic patients were suggestive of a higher endocrine performance of their placentas. In this line, anemic females demonstrated relatively high blood concentrations of E3 and E2 despite dramatical drop in DEAS levels. In patients with severe anemia two late months of gestation were featured by lowered hormonal preformance in the placenta as well as lower levels of PRG, placental hormone, E3 and E2.