The Effect of Pregnancy on the Human Adrenal Cortex

SUMMARY The adrenal glands from twenty-four cases of sudden death during pregnancy and immediately post partum have been examined. The mean combined adrenal weight in the pregnancy cases was slightly greater than in controls, but the difference was not statistically significant. There was, however, a significant increase in the width of the z. fasciculata in the pregnancy cases due toan increase in the width of the inner part of this zone. This change occurred early in pregnancy, and there was no progressive increase in width with the duration of the pregnancy. Histochemical tests showed that the only difference from the controls was in the inner part of the z. fasciculata where there was reduction in the amount of sudanophilia. The appearance of the cortex in pregnancy was quite unlike that found in glands stimulated by systemic disease or corticotrophin. These findings are discussed in relation to the chemical evidence of increased urinary steroid excretion in pregnancy.