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.

METHODS

Progesterone (P), estradiol (E2), total T, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), and % free T were measured in sera obtained from 60 pregnant women with normal pregnancy (n = 38) and missed abortion (n = 22) at between 4 and 12 weeks' gestation.

RESULTS

P, E2, total T, and SHBG in 22 patients with missed abortion were significantly lower than those in normal group, whereas % free T was significantly higher. There was a significant negative correlation between % free T and SHBG concentration in the normal group, but not in the missed abortion group. All the subjects in whom % free T was 1.30% and higher subsequently miscarried, 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 abortion. The value of % free T may be able to predict pregnancy outcome in early pregnancy.