Plasma testosterone in molar pregnancy: Correlation with gestational age, uterine size, theca-lutein cyst and serum HCG.

Plasma testosterone and serum HCG were measured by radioimmunoassay in 46 patients with intact molar pregnancy. There was no significant difference in plasma testosterone between patients with theca-lutein cyst and those without the cyst. This suggests that ovarian contribution to the elevated testosterone in molar pregnancy is probably a minor one. No correlation was found between plasma testosterone and uterine size. However, a positive correlation (r=+0.3567, P less than 0.001) was found between plasma testosterone and the HCG and a rising trend in plasma testosterone was observed with increasing gestation. These results suggest that molar trophoblast is probably the major source of elevated testosterone in the maternal circulation.