Acetaminophen overdose in the third trimester of pregnancy.
Acetaminophen is frequently used in pregnancy but can be lethal when taken in sufficient quantities. How much of an overdose crosses the placenta and exactly how the in vivo fetus deals with this insult are unknown. However, it does appear that both the mother and fetus can have a good outcome in the third trimester, if treatment is begun early and response is rapid. ( JAMA 1982;247:3114-3115)
Abstract : A study was made of the decomposition of several chlorocarbons in air when exposed to Hopcalite catalyst in a laboratory reactor from 50 to 350 C. The chlorocarbons studied were methyl chloroform, vinylidene chloride, trichloroethylene and tetrachloroethylene. At 300 C the percentage decomposition ranged from 70% for tetrachloroethylene to 100% for methyl chloroform. All yielded substantial amounts of hydrochloric acid as they decomposed. Yields of organic compounds during the decomposition of the chlorocarbons were quite small, except in the case of methyl chloroform, which yielded as much as 50% of vinylidene chloride.