Effect of Pregnancy on Androgenic Steroids in Different Genetic Panels

Unity Health Toronto

Status

Completed

Conditions

Sex Steroids

Treatments

Biological: Urine sample collection

Biological: Saliva collection

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

NCT03064412

14-145

Details and patient eligibility

About

Androgens are important sex steroids in women. Androgens influence protein synthesis and muscle growth, are involved in maturation of the reproductive organs, have a fat reducing effect , have a negative effect on the serum lipid profile, and may also increase insulin resistance and coagulation activity. The role of androgens in women is not clear. This study is aimed at learning about the amount of androgen and its actions in pregnant women. This study is also looking to see if there are specific patient factors (such as genetics) that change the amount of androgen and its activity.

Full description

There is a lot of information about the main female sex hormones such as estrogens and progesterones (the main female sex hormones and the most important in menstrual , reproductive cycles and pregnancy) . However there is little information about androgens in pregnant women. It is known that certain illnesses, chemicals and dietary products might change the amount of androgen and its actions, which could affect the mother and her baby. It is also known that there are differences between the androgen levels in different people, and in different ethnic groups. These differences are mostly due to genetic factors. The goal of this study is to learn about the androgen levels in healthy pregnant women and if genetic or clinical factors (for example age, trimester of pregnancy, parity, ethnicity, etc.) play a role in changing the androgen amount and action, throughout pregnancy and after delivery.

Enrollment

70 patients

Sex

Female

Ages

18 to 40 years old

Volunteers

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

healthy women without drug treatment, in the age range of 18-40 years

Exclusion criteria

Any chronic disease such as Hypertension or Diabetes Mellitus
Positive for HIV, hepatitis, Syphilis
Abnormal laboratory test results (e.g. abnormal TSH, glucose, creatinine, HIV, HBV, VDRL)
PCOS
Ongoing hormonal treatment-e.g. progesterone, estrogen or other
Smoking cigarettes, alcohol, regular substance use
Confirmed or suspected abuse of drugs
Chronic prescription drugs
Pre-existing diabetes or GDM in last pregnancy