BACKGROUND Understanding the physiology of pregnancy enables effective management
of pregnancy complications that could otherwise be life threatening for both mother and …

Pregnancy is associated with physiological adjustments in order to allow adequate growth
and fetal development. In particular, steroids are necessary to maintain in balance …

Adequate maternal vascular adaptations and blood supply to the uterus and placenta are
crucial for optimal oxygen and nutrient transport to growing fetuses of eutherian mammals …

BACKGROUND Estrogens regulate disparate female physiological processes, thus
ensuring reproduction. Altered estrogen levels and signaling have been associated with …

Androgens and the androgen receptor (AR) are not only required for male reproductive
function, they are also essential for female reproductive physiology. Widely expressed in …

For many decades, elevated androgens in women have been associated with poor
reproductive health. However, recent studies have shown that androgens play a crucial role …

In women, ovary and adrenal gland produce androgens. Androgens are essential drivers of
the primordial to antral follicle development, prior to serving as substrate for estrogen …

Objective Animal studies have indicated that maternal androgen levels influence the
intrauterine environment and development of the offspring. Human data are missing. We …

Objective Prenatal androgen exposure has been suggested to play a role in polycystic ovary
syndrome. Given the limited information on what maternal characteristics influence maternal …

The precise temporal control of uterine contractility is essential for the success of pregnancy.
For most of pregnancy, progesterone acting through genomic and non-genomic …