Transient increases in progesterone in daily and 2-hourly saliva specimens from adolescent girls

Daily progesterone profiles obtained from saliva specimens from 101 peri- and postmenarcheal girls showed episodic 'spikes' which reached up to 600 pmol/l from baselines of approximately 40 pmol/l. The authenticity of progesterone in the 'spike' specimens was established using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. 'Spikes' of progesterone occurred in 5.3% of premenarcheal saliva specimens but in only 1-2% of specimens from girls who were 4-6 years postmenarche. Two-hourly specimens from 53 pre- and postmenarcheal girls had 'spike' frequencies similar to those measured in daily specimens.