The effect of oestrogens and progestogens on serum protein levels.

contraceptives. Significant increases in macroglobulin, transferrin, and IgG were found but albumin was unchanged. The purpose of the present experiment was to determine whether the oestrogen or progestogen component was responsible for these changes. Two groups of 14 healthy females were given either 50 mg oestrogen (mestranol) or 1 mg progestogen (ethynodiol diacetate) daily for three weeks. Protein levels were determined, at weekly intervals, before, during, and aftertherapy. Significant increases in c2 macroglobulin and transferrin were found in those subjects taking mestranol. Neither of the two groups showed significant changesin IgG or albumin. Protein levels in 14 healthy females were measured at threeto fourday intervals over one menstrual cycle. No convincing evidence of cyclical variation due to endogenous production of hormones was found but there was some indication that transferrin perhaps showed cyclical variation.