Arachidonic acid's role in the pathology and physiology of pregnancy and labor

Abstract A theory relating uterine contractions to circulating levels of NEAA during pregnancy is supported by circumstantial evidence (Fig. 3). Alterations in NEFA and AA levels and metabolism may be responsible for the hypertension, vasospasm, thrombocytopenia, coagulopathy, ease of inducibility, and hepatic dysfunction which can occur in preeclampsia (Fig. 5).