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Amniotic fluid cells obtained by amnicentesis at 16-20 weeks' gestation were grown in culture until a confluent monolayer of cell had been formed. Radiolabeled pregnenolone, progesterone and 20 alpha-dihydroprogesterone were added to the cell cultures; steroid metabolites which formed after 24 and 48 hours of incubation were identified. Incubation of the cell cultures with pregnenolone-3H resulted in the formation of progesterone, 17alpha-progesterone and 20 alpha-dihydroprogesterone. A significant amount of progesterone was identified after incubating the cell cultures with 20 alpha-dihydroprogesterone. The results indicate that 3 beta-ol-dehydrogenase, 17 alpha-hydroxylase and 20 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase enzymes are present in cultured amniotic fluid cells obtained at 16-20 weeks' gestation.

A highly sensitive pregnancy test based upon partial purification of urinary gonadotropins by Sephadex gel filtration and concentration of the gonadotropin-containing fraction by lyophilization has been developed. Values over 100 I.U. per liter after Day 22 are considered to indicate conception. They are verified by radioimmunoassay (RIA) of the beta-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) in plasma. Urine samples from users of intrauterine contraception were examined at random. Among samples collected after Day 21, 14 contained more than 100 I.U. per liter. In three of these cases, RIA of the beta-subunit HCG in plasma was employed and verified the results. The results support the hypothesis that intrauterine contraception interferes with implantation and establishment of pregnancy but not with fertilization and blastocyst formation.

Metabolism of estradiol was investigated in 5 dogs, 3 female Greyhounds with radiographically perfect hip joints and 2 female German Shepherd dogs with hip dysplasia (one pregnant and the other non-pregnant). One of the Greyhounds was studied both when pregnant and non-pregnant. The non-pregnant dogs were injected with C14-labelled estradiol-17beta i.v. and 5 mg estradiol-17beta benzoate i.m. The pregnant dogs were given only radiolabelled estradiol-17beta. Twenty-four-hour-specimens of urine were collected from the dogs for 6--8 days. Determination of urinary estrone, estradiol-17beta, and estriol was made. It was found that most of the injected estradiol was excreted unmetabolized in all dogs. A significant amount of the injected estradiol was converted to estrone and a small amount to estriol. There was no significant difference in the excretion patterns of estrone, estradiol, and estriol between the Greyhounds with perfect hip joints and the German Shepherds with hip dysplasia, regardless whether the dogs were pregnant or not. The conclusion was drawn that the capacity of dogs with hip dysplasia to metabolize estradiol and to eliminate estradiol and metabolites is not impaired.