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  • Title: A quantitative study of the pregnancy zone protein in sera of woman taking oral contraceptives.
    Author: Damber MG, von Schoultz B, Solheim F, Stigbrand T.
    Journal: Am J Obstet Gynecol; 1976 Feb 01; 124(3):289-92. PubMed ID: 55075.
    Abstract:
    By means of a single radial immunodiffusion the concentration of "the pregnancy zone protein" (PZ) was measured in sera from women taking oral contraceptive drugs. Woman taking only 0.3 mg. of norethisterone were found not to induce measurable amounts of PZ, whereas women taking combined contraceptive drugs showed a significant rise in concentration of PZ. After six months' treatment, 1 mg. of norethisterone and 0.1 mg. of meastranol daily were found to give an average concentration of PZ amounting to 59 mg. per 100 ml., that is, approximately half of the concentration of PZ in sera from women during the last trimester of pregnancy. Different combined contraceptive pills gave rise to different concentrations of PZ. The serum concentrations of pregnancy zone protein (PZ) were measured by means of a single radial immunodiffusion test in 322 blood samples from 103 women, drawn prior to and during treatment with oral contraceptives (OCs), in order to study the level of PZ in relation to the composition of the OC drugs. 80 women never having been pregnant or treated with OCs were divided into 2 groups: 22 treated with a combination of 1 mg norethisterone and .1 mg mestranol (norinyl + 100) and 58 treated with .5 mg nogestrel and .05 mg ethinyl estridiol (Ovral). A 3rd group of 23 women were examined during treatment with low-dose progestin contraceptives, .3 mg norethisterone. 54 of the 80 women taking combined OCs showed elevated PZ (less than 10 mg/100 ml). In the remaining 26 and progestin-treated patients, PZ levels remained the same. 91% of women taking Norinyl + 100 had an elevated response while 59% of women taking Ovral showed a similar response. Women taking Norinyl + 100 had higher mean values for the concentration of PZ as well. The significance of difference after 1, 3, and 6 months was p less than .05 for each month. In both groups the increase in PZ values was most pronounced during the 1st month of treatment. The concentration of PZ in patients taking OCs is approximately half the value of the last trimester of pregnancy. There is also individual variation in the ability to produce PZ.
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