Human chorionic gonadotropin maintains plasma progesterone at pregnancy levels in rhesus monkeys

Peripheral plasma progesterone (P) levels in the rhesus monkey remain relatively constant both during the latter half of pregnancy and for long periods after fetectomy (removal of the fetus with the placenta left in situ) or ovariectomy. The constancy is maintained despite what appears to be reciprocal changes in the relative contributions of ovary and placenta. Placental regulation of the corpus luteum is likely, but it is not known if the corpus luteum responds to a gonadotropic stimulus in the later stages of pregnancy. In this study, we have investigated the effects of hCG administration in postdelivery monkeys (normally pregnant, fetectomized, ovariectomized and sham ovariectomized animals) and have determined if hCG administration maintains plasma P at pregnancy levels. hCG maintained P at pregnancy levels after surgical removal of the conceptus near term in both normally pregnant and previously fetectomized monkeys over a 7-day treatment period. hCG treatment after normal delivery maintained P levels in sham-ovariectomized but not in ovariectomized monkeys over an 8-day treatment period. The magnitude of the response to hCG declines over the treatment period in all groups except fetectomized monkeys, although hCG levels in the peripheral plasma are quite constant. These results indicate that the ovary of late pregnancy is fully capable of producing P at normal values and is responsive to this gonadotropin.