K. Biedermann et P. Schoch, DO NEUROACTIVE STEROIDS CAUSE FATIGUE IN PREGNANCY, European journal of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology, 58(1), 1995, pp. 15-18
To elucidate factors causing widespread fatigue in pregnancy we studie
d plasma samples from 23 healthy pregnant volunteers, measuring endoge
nous neuroactive steroids, endozepines and benzodiazepines by receptor
binding assays. The samples were taken at different gestational ages
and the women were asked about their feeling of fatigue at the time of
sample collection. We found a significant correlation between fatigue
in pregnancy and presence of neuroactive steroid-like activity, but c
ould not detect endogenous benzodiazepine-like factors. These results
suggest that neuroactive steroids may be involved in fatigue during pr
egnancy. Their site of synthesis and their biological role remain uncl
ear.