The human respiratory nasal mucosa in pregnancy. An electron microscopic and histochemical study.

The ultrastructural and histochemical changes in the respiratory nasal mucosa of thirty pregnant females have been studied. Symptoms-free pregnant females, regardless of the duration of pregnancy, showed glandular hyperactivity, increased phagocytic activity, and increased amount of acid mucopolysaccharides in the ground substance. These changes have been suggested to be due to the rise in the levels of female sex hormones during pregnancy. Pregnant females developing nasal symptoms during pregnancy have been proved by electron microscopy and histochemically to be allergic in origin. This allergy, being not due to the hypersensitization of the patient's own sex hormones, may be due to any of the factors previously mentioned.