Renal Effects of Angiotensin II Infusions in Normotensive Pregnant and Nonpregnant Women

Normotensive pregnant women are relatively resistant to angiotensin II in that they give smaller pressor responses and show smaller reductions in urine flow and sodium and chloride excretions than do normotensive nonpregnant women. Women early in the third trimester of pregnancy are more resistant to angiotensin II than are women at term, with respect to the effect upon sodium and chloride excretions. The less pronounced renal effects of angiotensin II in pregnant women cannot be attributed merely to error caused by increase in the dead space of the urinary tract.