2, 3-Diphosphoglycerate and Creatine in the Red Cell during Human Pregnancy

Abstract

The intraerythrocytic level of 2, 3-diphosphoglycerate is found to increase by about 30% during human pregnancy. Immediately after delivery, the 2, 3-DPG level decreases, and the concentration of inorganic phosphate in the plasma increases. The possibility of an important physiological mechanism which tends to facilitate oxygen delivery from the maternal blood is discussed in the light of these results. The creatine level in the red cell is found to vary in accordance with a postulated change in the average age of the circulating red cells.

Key Words:

• Acid-base equilibrium
• creatine
• 2,3-diphosphoglycerate
• erythrocytes
• phosphate
• pregnancy