Progesterone and estrogen are potential mediators of gastric slow
wave dysrhythmias in the nausea of pregnancy.
Walsh, John W., William L. Hasler, Clark E. Nugent, Chung Owyang.
Department of Internal Medicine and Department of Obstetrics and
Gynecology, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI
APStracts 2:0208G, 1995.
Women in pregnancy experience nausea, which correlates with gastric
slow wave rhythm disruption. Mediators of these dysrhythmias were
explored. To quantitate slow wave disruption, 8 women with first
trimester nausea underwent electrogastrography (EGG) after a 250 kcal
meal. Results were compared with nonpregnant women with nausea during
a prior pregnancy receiving estradiol, progesterone, or both to
levels of first trimester pregnancy. Five pregnant women exhibited
dysrhythmias, with increases in combined recording time in
tachygastria plus bradygastria, as well decreases in the percentage
of EGG signal power in the normal 3 cycle per minute range (cpm)
compared to nonpregnant women (P<0.05). Estradiol did not evoke
dysrhythmias in nonpregnant volunteers, however progesterone induced
increases in recording time in bradygastria plus tachygastria and
increases in bradygastric signal power with corresponding decreases
in signal power in the 3 cpm range (P<0.05). With estradiol and
progesterone coadministration, an additive effect was observed at
3.3+/-0.8 hours, with increased recording time in bradygastria alone
and in combined time in bradygastria plus tachygastria with
corresponding increases in bradygastric signal power and decreases in
power in the 3 cpm range (P<0.05). In conclusion, women with
nausea of pregnancy exhibit slow wave rhythm disruption. Similar
dysrhythmias are evoked in nonpregnant women by progesterone alone or
in combination with estradiol in doses which reproduce levels in
pregnancy. Thus gastric dysrhythmias in pregnancy may be due to a
combination of elevated progesterone and estrogen levels.
Received 19 May 1994; accepted in final form 4 September 1995.
APS Manuscript Number G188-4.
Article publication pending Am. J. Physiol. (Gastrointest. Liver
Physiology).
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1995 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 6 November 95