Abstract

Maternal serum alpha 1-antitrypsin concentrations were measured serially in pregnant women who were normotensive and those with mild, moderate, and severe hypertension of pregnancy from 27 weeks' gestation to term. alpha 1-antitrypsin concentrations increased with advancing gestation in all four groups. In addition, the hypertensive pregnancies showed higher than normal concentrations at each stage of pregnancy, with values in the severe hypertension group being higher than values in the other two hypertensive groups. At 35-36 weeks' gestation to term the increase in alpha 1-antitrypsin in the severe hypertension group was significant (p less than 0.05) when compared with the normotensive group. Although plasma oestriol and progesterone concentrations increased with advancing gestation in all groups, there was no direct relation between their concentrations and the increase in alpha 1-antitrypsin concentration in the hypertensive groups.