Contraception
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Ovarian and adrenal steroids and biologically active lutropin were measured in peripheral plasma samples obtained from 5 normally menstruating women. Plasma samples were collected every 3 h for a period of 39 hours in the periovulatory period of a pretreatment (control) cycle and then 16 and 54 days after a single i.m. injection of 150 mg of depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA). Sixteen days after DMA administration, the levels of estradiol, progesterone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, and lutropin were reduced to early follicular phase levels. ⋯ The administration of DMPA did not interfere with the circadian rhythm of cortisol, pregnenolone, 17-hydroxypregnenolone, dehydroepiandrosterone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, and androstenedione levels. A significant circadian rhythm was also found in testosterone (after 16 days) and lutropin (after 54 days) levels. No circadian variation was found in estradiol, progesterone and dihydrotestosterone levels.