The parathyroids and pregnancy

Abstract

A number of investigators have found, especially in dogs, that pregnancy seems to augment the symptoms of parathyroid tetany, and may transform latent tetany into acute tetany in cases of partial thyroidectomy. 1 The parathyroids must become functional in the fetus a considerable time before birth, because there is no record of parathyroid tetany (acute or latent) in prematurely born infants. In view of the fact that in late pregnancy the pancreas of the fetus seems to be able to compensate for the total extirpation of the pancreas of the mother to such an extent that this operation is not followed by the usual diabetes, 2 an investigation of the other organs of internal secretion with reference to the passage of the hormones from the blood of the fetus to the blood of the mother seemed desirable. Accordingly, in the spring and summer of 1912, thyroidparathyroidectomy was made in 16 dogs and 11 cats in late pregnancy, that is, within one to three weeks of term.

Results.

I. Dogs.—Eight out of the fifteen dogs died in acute tetany within 12 to 24 hours after the parathyroidectomy. In no case was there evidence of labor. Three dogs developed tetany after 36 hours, one dying in tetany on the third day, and the other two on the fourth day without any signs of labor. Two dogs gave birth to the young on the second day and developed tetany symptoms on the third and fourth days respectively. These two died in tetany and depression on the eighth day

One dog had moderately strong tetany on the second and third days after the operation. On the 4th and 5th days there was no tetany, but one pup was born on each of these days.