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THE EFFECT OF PARITY ON PLASMA SODIUM, POTASSIUM, CHLORIDE AND OSMOLALITY LEVELS DURING PREGNANCY
Author(s) -
Macdonald H. N.,
Good W.
Publication year - 1972
Publication title -
bjog: an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.157
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1471-0528
pISSN - 1470-0328
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1972.tb14182.x
Subject(s) - potassium , sodium , chemistry , plasma osmolality , endocrinology , medicine , parity (physics) , pregnancy , biology , physics , organic chemistry , particle physics , genetics
Summary The changes in plasma sodium, potassium, chloride and osmolality levels have been examined in primigravidae and multigravidae. Plasma sodium and potassium concentrations decrease significantly from 10 to 28 weeks in multigravidae but not in primigravidae. Both groups show a significant increase in plasma potassium concentration between 28 and 37 weeks, when there is no change in sodium concentration. Plasma sodium and potassium levels rise significantly following delivery in primigravidae but, with multigravidae, only the rise in the latter is statistically significant. There is no change in the plasma levels of chloride and osmolality during normal pregnancy, irrespective of parity; osmolality increases significantly after delivery in each group. The results appear consistent with the hypothesis that the expansion of plasma volume is an important factor in the observed changes.