JAUNDICE_ IN PREGNANCY WITHi SPECIAL REFERENCE TO RECURRENT JAUNDICE*

Jaundice in pregnancy from, infective hepatitis appears to carry a much graver prognosis in the tropics than reported in the Western literature where a favourable outcome for both the mother and the child is usually anticipated (Adams and Combes, 1965; Haemmerli, 196£). In contrast, an alarmingly high maternal mortality has been reported from different parts of India (Naidu and Viswana~ than, 1957; Malkani and Grewal, 19·57; Das, 1958) as also from areas where undernutrition is frequent (Zondek and Bromberg, 1947). It appears that the liver becomes more susceptible and vulnerable to toxins of viral, bacterial and chemical origin when the protective action on the liver is reduced due to lack of essential amino acids, proteins, mine-