Host defense during pregnancy: monocyte adherence and killing.

Pregnant women are more susceptible to candida infections than nonpregnant women. Since monocytes play a major role in host defense against candida, their association with radiolabeled candida and their capacity for killing candida were compared in sera of pregnant and nonpregnant women. While the basal rate of these monocyte functions was similar in both groups of women, candida opsonized with serum from pregnant women was less effective in enhancing these monocyte activities.

Thermodynamic properties of erythrocyte Li efflux may facilitate detection of essential hypertension in pregnant women.

Thermodynamic properties of red cell lithium efflux were examined in pregnant women in relation to hypertension. Twenty-two normotensive women, 15 women with essential hypertension, and 27 with pregnancy-induced hypertension were studied. The rates of Li efflux at 37 degrees C in the three groups of pregnant women were similar and nondiscriminatory.

Li efflux in erythrocytes of pregnant women: comparison of rates and temperature dependence for detection of hypertension.

Two determinants of lithium efflux in erythrocytes were compared, in relation to pregnancy: (a) efflux rates at 37 degrees C; (b) efflux temperature dependence, expressed by the 'break' of Arrhenius plots. Eighteen women were studied both at term and after delivery. While efflux rates were changed markedly, from 0.