Relationship between concentrations of maternal plasma oestrogens and progesterone and response to artificial rupture of membranes.

The concentrations of oestradiol-17beta, oestriol, and progesterone were measured in the plasma of 100 patients at the time of induction of labour by artificial rupture of membranes. There was no statistically significant difference in the hormone concentration or in the ratio of oestrogens to progesterone between patients who went into labour after rupture of the membranes and those who did not. Nor was there any significant difference in the hormone values between oxytocin-sensitive and oxytocin-insensitive patients.