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Ante-natal Progesterone and Intelligence

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Katharina Dalton*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Medicine, University College Hospital, London

Extract

Toxaemia of pregnancy remains the “disease of theories” both in respect of its causation and treatment. Among the many treatments suggested, although not generally accepted, is the administration of progesterone from the middle trimester for the relief of toxaemic symptoms (1, 2 and 3). An unexpected finding has been the clinical observation that children of progesterone-treated mothers appear to reach their milestones earlier and to make excellent progress at school.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1968 

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References

1. Dalton, K. (1954). “Similarity of symptomatology of premenstrual syndrome and toxaemia of pregnancy and their response to progesterone.” Brit. med. J., ii, 1071.Google Scholar
2. Dalton, K. (1957). “Toxaemia of pregnancy treated with progesterone during the symptomatic stage.” Brit. med. J., ii, 378.Google Scholar
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8. Barker, D. J. P., and Edwards, J. H. (1967). “Obstetric complications and school performance.” Brit. med. J., ii, 695.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
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