FREE TESTOSTERONE AND ABORTION IN EARLY-PREGNANCY

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between percentage of free testosterone (% free T) and the abortion rate in early pregnancy. MET HODS: Progesterone (P), estradiol (E2), total T, sex hormone binding g lobulin (SHBG), and %free T were measured in sera obtained from 60 pre gnant women with normal pregnancy (n = 38) and missed abortion (n = 22 ) at between 4 and 12 weeks gestation. RESULTS: P, E2, total T, and SH BG in 22 patients with missed abortion were significantly lower than t hose in normal group, whereas %free T was significantly higher. There was a significant negative correlation between % free T and SHBG conce ntration in the normal group, but not in the missed abortion group. Al l the subjects in whom %free T was 1.30% and higher subsequently misca rried, but no subject with %free T less than 0.70% had a miscarriage. CONCLUSIONS: The lower the %free T, the lower the rate of subsequent a bortion. The value of %free T may be able to predict pregnancy outcome in early pregnancy.