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Female urinary tract
Female urinary tract
Male urinary tract
Male urinary tract

Pregnanediol
Definition:
This is a test that measures the amount of pregnanediol in urine.

How the test is performed:
A 24 hour urine sample is needed.
The health care provider will instruct you, if necessary, to discontinue drugs that may interfere with the test.
  • On day 1, urinate into the toilet upon arising in the morning.
  • Collect all subsequent urine (in a special container) for the next 24 hours.
  • On day 2, urinate into the container in the morning upon arising.
  • Cap the container. Keep it in the refrigerator or a cool place during the collection period. Label the container with your name, the date, the time of completion, and return it as instructed.

Infant:
Thoroughly wash the area around the urethra. Open a urine collection bag (a plastic bag with an adhesive paper on one end), and place it on your infant. For males, the entire penis can be placed in the bag and the adhesive attached to the skin. For females, the bag is placed over the labia. Place a diaper over the infant (bag and all).

The infant should be checked frequently and the bag changed after the infant has urinated into the bag. For active infants, this procedure may take a couple of attempts -- lively infants can displace the bag, causing an inability to obtain the specimen. The urine is drained into the container for transport to the laboratory.

Deliver it to the laboratory or your health care provider as soon as possible upon completion.
How to prepare for the test:
The health care provider may advise you to discontinue drugs that can affect the test. (see "special considerations")

Infants and children:
The physical and psychological preparation you can provide for this or any test or procedure depends on your child's age, interests, previous experiences, and level of trust. For specific information regarding how you can prepare your child, see the following topics as they correspond to your child's age:
How the test will feel:
The test involves only normal urination, and there is no discomfort.
Why the test is performed:

This test is usually performed to evaluate suspected problems with the ovaries or adrenal cortex. This test also has been used in the past to document problems of pregnancy. However, with the advent of progesterone measurement in the blood, the use of urinary pregnanediol has waned.

Pregnanediol is an inactive product of progesterone metabolism. Urinary pregnanediol is an indirect measure of progesterone levels in the body. In women, progesterone is produced mainly by the corpus luteum following ovulation. Some progesterone is also produced by the adrenal cortex.

During pregnancy, progesterone is synthesized mainly by the placenta. The main function of progesterone is probably to increase the so-called secretory phase of endometrial development, which prepares the uterus for possible implantation by a fertilized egg. After fertilization, progesterone is necessary for the development and maintenance of the placenta.
Normal Values:
  • male: 0.1 to 0.7 mg/24-hours
  • female:
    • follicular phase: < 1.0 mg/24-hours
    • luteal phase: 2 to 5 mg/24-hours
    • pregnancy @ 20 weeks: 40 mg/24-hours
    • pregnancy @ 30 weeks: 80 mg/24-hours
    • pregnancy @ 40 weeks: 100 mg/24-hours
    • postmenopausal: 0.2 to 1.0 mg/24-hours
Note: mg/24-hours = milligrams per 24-hours
What abnormal results mean:
Greater-than-normal levels may indicate:Lower-than-normal levels may indicate:
What the risks are:
There are no risks.
Special considerations:
  • ACTH may increase test measurements.
  • Oral contraceptives or progesterone may decrease test measurements.
Review Date: 8/10/2001
Reviewed By: Peter Chen, M.D., Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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