ABSTRACT
Female reproduction is generally governed by changes in circulating levels of hormones, particularly the sex steroids that occur during the reproductive cycle. Evidence reported by us and others indicate that nitric oxide (NO) may control many physiological processes in females and that an absence of sufficient NO may lead to several pathological conditions. NO synthesis can be altered in various tissues by sex steroid hormones and cytokines. Therefore, the sex steroids, in particular oestrogens and progesterone, may be responsible for many normal and abnormal states through modulation of NO synthesis or action. In this brief review, we will outline how NO controls some of the important physiological functions during normal pregnancy and how derangement of these mechanism leads to pathological states such as pre-eclampsia and preterm labour.
