Exhaled breath volatile alterations in pregnancy assessed with electronic nose.
Pregnancy-linked accelerated metabolism and oxidative stress may alter the exhaled volatile compound pattern ("breathprint"). Electronic noses can distinguish "breathprints" associated with different disorders. This is the first study assessing alterations in "breathprint" during gestation. 130 women participated in our study (78 pregnant vs. 52 non-pregnant). Breath samples were processed by an electronic nose and analyzed using principal component analysis. Significant differences were found in exhaled breath pattern between pregnant and non-pregnant women (p = 0.001). Pregnancy-induced changes in exhaled gases need to be considered when pregnant women with respiratory disorders carry out breath tests.