Water metabolism in pregnancy.

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<p>Professor Frank Hytten, in discussion with Mr Geoffrey Chamberlain, talks about the metabolism of water during pregnancy. Two aspects of water metabolism are considered. The first centres on the fact that in early pregnancy plasma osmolality falls, a fact which is largely due to the effect of overbreathing - the mother avoids a state of diabetes insipidus by 'resetting' her osmo-receptors. The second is the phenomenon of water storage in pregnancy - an average of 2 1/2 litres in excess of that usually stored in known sites of tissue growth which, in some individuals, can rise to as much as 8 litres. They argue, however, that oedema is universal in healthy pregnant women and attempts to change it using drug therapy is dangerous to both mother and child. 5 segments.</p>

Water metabolism in pregnancy.

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