Testosterone levels in fetal testes and adrenals during the second trimester of pregnancy

Summary

Testosterone levels have been determined in tissue homo-genates of 47 fetal testes and adrenals during the second trimester of pregnancy. This is at the time when high levels of testosterone are found in amniotic fluid, especially in those pregnancies associated with the presence of a male fetus. The level of testosterone was considerably higher in the testis than the adrenal, but the levels in the two organs were positively correlated (P<000l).

The fetal testis seems to respond in a more marked manner to stimulation by HCG during the second trimester of pregnancy than does the fetal ovary.