An unselected group of pregnant patients was followed during pregnancy. Serial assays were made of maternal serum levels of hyaluronidase activity, free amino sugar and uronic acid. It was found that there was a highly significant correlation between the serum levels of hyaluronidase activity and uronic acid, both of which rose during pregnancy. In normal pregnancy the maternal serum amino sugar level showed a moderately significant correlation with length of gestation, which was not shown in abnormal pregnancies. Conversely the rise in uronic acid level with length of gestation was most significant in patients with complicated pregnancies.

An unselected series of 291 pregnant women was followed during pregnancy. Maternal serum was assayed for both hyaluraonidase activity and HPL. Urine was assayed for 24 h oestrogen output. A retrospective examination of the results showed that hyaluronidase activity did not provide as good an indication of fetoplacental well-being as did either HPL or pregnancy oestrogen. There were differences, however, in the mean levels obtained in complicated pregnancy, compared to the levels in normal pregnancy. Fetal death was associated with increased hyaluronidase activity whereas fetoplacental dysfunction was associated with lower levels of hyaluronidase activity.

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