Plasma progesterone concentration was determined in the maternal peripheral vein, umbilical vein, uterine vein, and both ovarian veins at elective cesarean section in term pregnancy. In 10 cases plasma from both ovarian veins was analyzed. In all but one the ovarian vein draining blood from the corpus luteum contained greater concentrations of progesterone than did the blood from the side without the corpus luteum. It has been suggested for some time that the corpus luteum of pregnancy continues to function throughout pregnancy. Our data appear to support this concept.
corpus luteum progesterone secretion term pregnancy, ovarian vein progesterone concentration cesarean section, corpus luteum function throughout pregnancy, LeMaire plasma progesterone corpus luteum pregnancy, ovarian vein versus peripheral vein progesterone levels, corpus luteum pregnancy progesterone production late gestation, uterine vein umbilical vein progesterone measurement, sustained corpus luteum activity pregnancy term, maternal ovarian progesterone secretion third trimester, corpus luteum contribution progesterone pregnancy endocrinology
PMID 5454578 5454578 DOI 10.1016/0002-9378(70)90217-6 10.1016/0002-9378(70)90217-6 LeMaire et al. 1970, LeMaire 1970
Cite this article
LeMaire, W. J., Conly, P. W., Moffett, A., & Cleveland, W. W. (1970). Plasma progesterone secretion by the corpus luteum of term pregnancy. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, 108(1), 132-134. https://doi.org/10.1016/0002-9378(70)90217-6
LeMaire WJ, Conly PW, Moffett A, Cleveland WW. Plasma progesterone secretion by the corpus luteum of term pregnancy. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1970;108(1):132-134. doi:10.1016/0002-9378(70)90217-6
LeMaire, William J., et al. "Plasma progesterone secretion by the corpus luteum of term pregnancy." American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, vol. 108, no. 1, 1970, pp. 132-134.
Coomarasamy A et al., 2020·Am J Obstet Gynecol·
Open Access
Progesterone is essential for the maintenance of pregnancy. Several small trials have suggested that progesterone supplementation may reduce the risk of miscarriage in women with recurrent or threatened miscarriage. Cochrane Reviews summarized the evidence and found that the trials were small with substantial methodologic weaknesses. Since then, the effects of first-trimester use of vaginal micronized progesterone have been evaluated in 2 large, high-quality, multicenter placebo-controlled trials, one targeting women with unexplained recurrent miscarriages (the PROMISE [PROgesterone in recurrent MIScarriagE] trial) and the other targeting women with early pregnancy bleeding (the PRISM [PRogesterone In Spontaneous Miscarriage] trial). The PROMISE trial studied 836 women from 45 hospitals in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands and found a 3% greater live birth rate with progesterone but with substantial statistical uncertainty. The PRISM trial studied 4153 women from 48 hospitals in the United Kingdom and found a 3% greater live birth rate with progesterone, but with a P value of .08. A key finding, first observed in the PROMISE trial, and then replicated in the PRISM trial, was that treatment with vaginal micronized progesterone 400 mg twice daily was associated with increasing live birth rates according to the number of previous miscarriages. Prespecified PRISM trial subgroup analysis in women with the dual risk factors of previous miscarriage(s) and current pregnancy bleeding fulfilled all 11 conditions for credible subgroup analysis. For the subgroup of women with a history of 1 or more miscarriage(s) and current pregnancy bleeding, the live birth rate was 75% (689/914) with progesterone vs 70% (619/886) with placebo (rate difference 5%; risk ratio, 1.09, 95% confidence interval, 1.03-1.15; P=.003). The benefit was greater for the subgroup of women with 3 or more previous miscarriages and current pregnancy bleeding; live birth rate was 72% (98/137) with progesterone vs 57% (85/148) with placebo (rate difference 15%; risk ratio, 1.28, 95% confidence interval, 1.08-1.51; P=.004). No short-term safety concerns were identified from the PROMISE and PRISM trials. Therefore, women with a history of miscarriage who present with bleeding in early pregnancy may benefit from the use of vaginal micronized progesterone 400 mg twice daily. Women and their care providers should use the findings for shared decision-making.
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