Abstract. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, urinary protein and amount of edema were compared with factors reflecting the prognosis and condition of the newborn in a series of 4404 patients with EPH‐gestosis, collected from the Helsinki University Central Hospital in 1965–1969 and the University Women's Clinic, Würzburg, in 1960–1969. No significant association was observed between slight and moderate edema and the prognosis of the newborn. The systolic blood pressure gave more significant information than the diastolic blood pressure. The amount of urinary protein showed the most consistent correlation with an impaired prognosis. The systolic blood pressure and proteinuria were thus the most significant indicators. An index for estimation of the prognosis in EPH‐gestosis was constructed on this basis. The purpose of this index is to provide a means of assessing the severity of the condition in the initial stage of treatment by exact use of simple observations. The index defines the risk of perinatal mortality, prematurity, asphyxia and smallness for dates in the individual case.

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Uterine perfusion, the po2 in maternal ear capillary blood, the po2 and pH in portio blood, and the po2 PH, BE and pco2 in blood from the foetal scalp were investigated in 50 normal women in the 36th or subsequent weeks of pregnancy, women were given either oxygen ventilation, xanthinol nicotinate (Complaminr`), or oxygen ventilation in conjunction with this drug. Uterine perfusion decreased in all groups, the greatest fall being in the group ventilated with 100% oxygen. The po2 rose in all groups given oxygen. The smallest rise was noted in foetal blood. The remaining changes in blood chemistry were very small.

The concentration of cord plasma triglycerides, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and apoprotein AI and AII has been measured in acidotic and non-acidotic full-term neonates without chronic maternal-fetal problems. The level of cord plasma triglycerides was significantly increased (P less than 0.05) and that of HDL cholesterol significantly decreased (P less than 0.001) in the newborns belonging to the quintile class with the lowest blood pH (less than or equal to 7.20). No differences were present between the acidotic and non-acidotic neonates in the plasma concentrations of total cholesterol or of apoprotein AI and AII. The concentration of triglycerides was increased (P less than 0.05) and that of HDL cholesterol was decreased (P less than 0.05) in the infants with the longest duration of labour. No correlation was observed between the concentration of glycerol and lipids or lipoproteins in cord plasma. The results suggest that intrapartum stress raises plasma triglycerides and induces qualitative and quantitative changes in the plasma high density lipoprotein fraction in the newborn.

Simultaneous blood microsamples were taken from the maternal ear and uterine cervix and the fetus of healthy pregnant women, those with labile hypertension, and those with severe gestosis (pre-eclampsia). The po2, pH, BE and pco2 were studied. The fetuses showed no signs of asphyxia. The differences in BE values between the women withe gestosis and their fetuses were significantly greater than in the cases of healthy pregnancy. No differences were seen between healthy and gestotic gravida groups in po2, pH and pco2 values. This favours the opinion that in gestosis of the mother the fetus has a tendency to metabolic acidosis, which apparently places it in a poorer position than the fetuses of healthy mothers, should acute asphyxia occur. At the time of study the po2 of the fetuses of gravidas with a labile blood pressure was lower than that of fetuses of healthy gravidas.