Pregnanediol-3-Glucuronide (5β-pregnane-3α,20α-diol-3α-glucuronide, PDG or P3G) is the major metabolite of progesterone, an endogenous steroid and the most important member of the class of steroid hormones known as progestogens. Progesterone is important in a variety of biological functions such as preparing the endometrium for implantation, maintaining pregnancy, differentiating breast tissue, and promoting normal development of neurons in the brain as a neuro steroid. Low progesterone levels are linked to chronic anovulation which is reported to be associated with female infertility, breast cancer and endometrial cancer.Levels of PDG in the urine correlate highly to levels of progesterone measured in the serum. PDG analysis may be used as a non-invasive method to indirectly measure progesterone and therefore might be used as a biomarker for luteal activity, ovarian cancer, and a variety of other biological disorders.
