Page 318 - Color_Atlas_of_Physiology_5th_Ed._-_A._Despopoulos_2003

A. Hormone synthesis in placenta, mother and fetus: fetoplacental unit
1 Early pregnancy:
Proteohormone synthesis in placenta 2 Later pregnancy: and Birth
Steroid hormone synthesis in placenta
Mother Child
Mother Child
Adrenal cortex Adrenal cortex
Placenta
Fetal of Pregnancy
zone
Control
Cholesterol,
pregnenolone
hCG DHEA DHEA Hormonal
(human chorionic DHEA-S DHEA-S
gonadotropin)

Corpus luteum
of maternal Fetal adrenal Plate 11.19
ovary cortex (FAC)
E E

P
E P DHEA
DHEA-S
Steroid hormones:
P = progesterone; DHEA(-S) = dehydroepiandrosterone (sulfate); E = estrogens
B. Hormone concentrations in plasma during pregnancy

hCG
Estrogens (E)

Corpus luteum activity Concentration in maternal plasma Progesterone (P) CRH hPL

Week 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40
Trimester 1 2 3 305

Despopoulos, Color Atlas of Physiology © 2003 Thieme
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