The Steroid Hormones in Pregnancy

THE marked changes in hormone production in pregnancy are associated with changes in metabolism and function. Much of the work which has been done and is being continued in the Clinical Research Unit of this department is concerned with the changes in body composition in normal and abnormal pregnancy and the puerperium and in the uterine activity in la;bour. The earlier endocrine work had been principally concerned wi,th the modification of research methods of urinary hormone assay to make them suitable for large scale clinical use. The more recent and the projected endocrine studies are being correlated as far as possible with the metabolic changes occurring in pregnancy, labour and the puerperium. The following is an account of some of the hormone and metabolic studies being carried out.