Differences in ovarian hormones in relation to parity and time since last birth

TY - JOUR

T1 - Differences in ovarian hormones in relation to parity and time since last birth

AU - Barrett, Emily S.

AU - Parlett, Lauren E.

AU - Windham, Gayle C.

AU - Swan, Shanna H.

PY - 2014/6

Y1 - 2014/6

N2 - Objective To examine ovarian function in relation to parity and time since last birth. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Health-care program in California. Patient(s) 346 naturally cycling women, aged 18 to 39 years. Intervention(s) None. Main Outcome Measure(s) Mean follicular urinary estradiol metabolite concentration (E1C) (cycle days -8 to -1), mean luteal progesterone metabolite concentration (PdG) (days 0 to +10), and cycle phase lengths in ovulatory cycles. Result(s) After the women had collected daily urine samples for up to eight menstrual cycles, we measured the E1C and PdG using enzyme-linked immunoassay. The cycle phase lengths were calculated from the hormone profiles and daily diaries. Women who had given birth within the previous 3 years had lower E1C than the nulliparous women and women who last given birth >3 years earlier. Among the parous women, E1C was positively associated with the time since last birth. Women who last gave birth >3 years earlier had longer follicular phases than the nulliparous women. There were no associations between parity and PdG or luteal phase length. Conclusion(s) Our cross-sectional data suggest that ovarian function differs in nulliparous and parous women and is positively associated with the time since last birth. Longitudinal research is needed to explore within-woman changes in ovarian function prepartum and postpartum.

AB - Objective To examine ovarian function in relation to parity and time since last birth. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Health-care program in California. Patient(s) 346 naturally cycling women, aged 18 to 39 years. Intervention(s) None. Main Outcome Measure(s) Mean follicular urinary estradiol metabolite concentration (E1C) (cycle days -8 to -1), mean luteal progesterone metabolite concentration (PdG) (days 0 to +10), and cycle phase lengths in ovulatory cycles. Result(s) After the women had collected daily urine samples for up to eight menstrual cycles, we measured the E1C and PdG using enzyme-linked immunoassay. The cycle phase lengths were calculated from the hormone profiles and daily diaries. Women who had given birth within the previous 3 years had lower E1C than the nulliparous women and women who last given birth >3 years earlier. Among the parous women, E1C was positively associated with the time since last birth. Women who last gave birth >3 years earlier had longer follicular phases than the nulliparous women. There were no associations between parity and PdG or luteal phase length. Conclusion(s) Our cross-sectional data suggest that ovarian function differs in nulliparous and parous women and is positively associated with the time since last birth. Longitudinal research is needed to explore within-woman changes in ovarian function prepartum and postpartum.

KW - Estradiol

KW - fecundity

KW - menstrual cycle

KW - motherhood

KW - ovarian function

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84901806848&partnerID=8YFLogxK

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U2 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2014.02.047

DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2014.02.047

M3 - Article

C2 - 24684956

SN - 0015-0282

VL - 101

SP - 1773-1780.e1

JO - Fertility and Sterility

JF - Fertility and Sterility

IS - 6

ER -