Abstract
The effect of oral intake of alcohol on noradrenaline and adrenaline excretion in 24 hour urine was studied in 18 pregnant women admitted to hospital in the second half of pregnancy for premature onset of uterine contractions. In control specimens of 24 hour urine, the mean excretion of noradrenaline was 29.6 μ per 24 hours. After ethyl alcohol administration, the excretion in the first 24 hours rose to 48.0 μ and in the second 24 hour period to 37.6 μ. The mean excretion of adrenaline in control specimens was 7.4 μ per 24 hours. In the first 24 hours of ethyl alcohol treatment it averaged 9.3 and in the second 24 hour period 7.6 μ per 24 hours.