The steroid hormone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP) is produced as a part of the process of synthesizing the cortisol hormone. This 17-OHP test measures the levels of 17-hydroxyprogesterone in the blood to detect Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH), an inherited condition that causes decreased adrenal cortisol and aldosterone, and increased male sex hormone (androgen) production. As a part of routine newborn screening, wherein the infant’s sex is unclear (ambiguous genitalia) or when a female has increased growth of facial and body hair (hirsutism) or other symptoms that could be related to elevated male sex hormones, or when a male child has premature sexual development, the 17 OH PROGESTERONE Test can be performed.
