title: The ocular hypotensive effect of late pregnancy is higher in multigravidae than in primigravidae.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Systemic hypertension and degenerative vascular disease are more common in multigravidae than in primigravidae. The present study investigated whether the known ocular hypotensive effect of late pregnancy is influenced by the number of pregnancies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured in normotensive third-trimester primigravidae and multigravidae along with nulligravida controls by means of the Goldmann applanation tonometer. Depending upon the number of previous pregnancies, multigravidae were divided into four subgroups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The IOP of the pregnant group (primigravidae and multigravidae together) was (mean+/-SEM) 2. 1+/-0.07 mmHg (P<0.001) lower than in the nulligravida control group. The IOP of nulligravidae was 1.7+/-0.06 mmHg (P<0.001) and 2.5+/-0. 01 mmHg (P<0.001) higher than in third-trimester primigravidae and multigravidae, respectively. In all subgroups of multigravidae IOP was significantly lower (P<0.02) than in primigravidae. The differences among different subgroups of multigravidae were statistically insignificant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gravidity influences IOP and should be taken into account in future research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Rawalpindi Medical College, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: I A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Qureshi
authors.forename: X R
authors.initials: XR
authors.lastname: Xi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yaqob
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D020073:Gravidity; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D015814:Ocular Hypotension / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000502:physiology*; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D013997:Time Factors