OBJECTIVETo investigate the serum levels of estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P) in patients with the auras of threatened abortion (ATA), i.e., fetal irritability and vaginal bleeding, and the relation with prognosis.

METHODSChinese medicine syndrome of 598 pregnant women with ATA consulted in authors' hospital were differentiated into 5 types, 151 patients of Shen-deficiency type; 151 of Pi-Shen deficiency type; 36 of qi-blood insufficiency type, 235 of blood-heat type, and 25 of traumatic injured type. Their serum levels of E2 and P at the 5th to 13th gestation week were monitored by competitive chemiluminescnet enzyme immunoassay. And the outcome of pregnancy, continued or defeated, was observed.

RESULTS(1) From the 7th gestation week on, serum E2 level in women with continued pregnancy (CP) increased continuously, showed a higher value than that at the previous week (P < 0.05), and was higher than that in women with defeated pregnancy (DP) of same gestation age (P < 0.05). (2) Serum P level was not different in CP women at various gestation age (P > 0.05), but from the 7th week on, it was higher in CP women than in DP women of same gestation age (P < 0.05). (3) The comparison of serum E2 in CP versus DP of women with Shen-deficiency type or Pi-Shen deficiency type was identical to that in CP versus DP of all women enrolled.

CONCLUSIONSSerum levels of E2 and P in women with ATA at 5th to 13th gestation weeks were obtained. The 7th week of pregnancy is the critical period of pregnancy development, a comparative high E2 levels and its sustained and steady elevation indicates the good-ending of pregnancy with fetal irritability and vaginal bleeding. The Chinese medicine syndrome presented in women with ATA is dominantly the Shen-deficiency type. The variation of serum E2 is one of the important material foundation in pregnancy with fetal irritability and vaginal bleeding of Shen-deficiency type.