Plasma Proteins in Venous and Cord Blood at Delivery Following Uncomplicated and Complicated Pregnancies

1. Total protein, albumin, and 5 globulin fractions were determined by electrophoresis in the plasma of samples of cord blood and of venous blood from 11 women whose pregnancies were uncomplicated. Similar samples were obtained for electrophoretic analysis from 21 women whose pregnancies were complicated by toxemia of pregnancy and other diseases. 2. For the samples representing uncomplicated pregnancy total protein values for venous blood were higher than for cord blood. Greater average amounts of albumin and gamma globulin were found in cord blood than in the corresponding venous blood, coincident with lesser amounts of alpha, beta, and phi globulins. 3. In complicated pregnancies the ranges for total plasma protein in venous and cord blood were lower than for the normal group. Ranges of values for serum protein (calculated as plasma minus fibrinogen) fractions in cord blood following complicated pregnancies were, in general, higher for albumin and gamma globulin and lower for alpha, beta, and phi globulins than the ranges for venous blood.