Excretion of neuraminic acid-containing trisaccharides in the urine during pregnancy.

The excretion of neuraminic acid-containing trisaccharides in the urine during the course of normal pregnancy was studied. Neuraminyl-lactose and neuraminyl-galactosyl-(l led to 4)-N-acetylglucosamine were identified, and their excretion patterns were analyzed by thin-layer and gas chromatography. A progressive increase in the outputs of these acidic oligosaccharides was observed during the course of pregnancy in all cases studied. Neuraminyl-lactose excretion increased threefold, from 13.7 +/- 1.75 to 37.1 +/- 2.56 mg/24 h, and neuraminyl-galactosyl-N-acetylglucosamine twofold, from 8.4 +/- 1.27 to 15.3 +/- 2.21 mg/24 h (Mean +/- S.E.).