Determination of Ovarian Function Using First Morning Urine Steroid Assays

Abstract

A new direct radioimmunoassay measuring ovarian steroid metabolites in small aliquots of urine has been evaluated. For this purpose urinary levels of estrone-3-glucuronide (E₁G) and pregnanediol-3-glucuronide (PG) were correlated with plasma values of estradiol (E₂) and progesterone (P), respectively, from days 5 to 24 of the cycle in 24 women with normal cycles. Urine samples were representative of 1) first morning voiding; 2) 24-hour collection; and 3) all voidings except for the first morning one. The correlation between urinary E₁G and PG with plasma values of E₂and P was statistically significant for the 3 collections of urine. The first morning voiding is selected as the sample of choice to determine E₁G and PG due to its ease of collection and its high correlation with plasma E₂and P levels (r=.60, P<.001; r=.73, P<.001, respectively).