Estrogen excretion in pregnant women with leprosy: evidence of diminished fetoplacental function.

Estrogen excretion was assayed in 64 women with leprosy and 15 healthy control women. The mean estrogen excretion was lower in women with leprosy than in controls and the incidence of subnormal estrogen values was higher in the leprosy patients than in the controls. There was an association between infant birth weight and frequency of subnormal estrogen excretion. These features were most marked in women with lepromatous leprosy and are further evidence of diminished fetoplacental function in women with leprosy.