Although acetaminophen is widely used in pregnant women, the effects of pregnancy on its hepatotoxicity remain unknown. We assessed these effects in pregnant mice (17-18 days of gestation). The hepatotoxicity of acetaminophen (300-400 mg X kg-1 i.p.) was increased markedly in pregnant mice, as judged by increased serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase activity, higher incidence of liver necrosis and greater mortality. In vitro, acetaminophen sulfotransferase activity was increased by 47% in pregnant mice, but acetaminophen glucuronosyltransferase activity was decreased by 54%; the metabolic activation of acetaminophen to covalently bound metabolites was unchanged. Glutathione S-transferase activities were decreased slightly. In vivo, after administration of acetaminophen (300 mg X kg-1 i.p.), the 24-hr urinary excretion of the sulfate conjugate was increased (from 12% of the recovered dose in nonpregnant mice to 21% in pregnant mice), that of the glucuronide was decreased (from 61 to 52%), whereas those of the cysteine and mercapturic acid conjugates and that of acetaminophen were unchanged. Finally, the plasma clearance and the apparent volume of distribution of acetaminophen (both expressed per body weight) remained unchanged. Similarly, in vivo covalent binding to hepatic proteins 4 hr after administration of acetaminophen (300 and 400 mg X kg-1 i.p.) remained unchanged as were in vivo indexes of lipid peroxidation. In contrast, liver glutathione concentration, albeit initially normal, fell to much lower levels after administration of acetaminophen (200-400 mg X kg-1 i.p.) or diethylmaleate (0.5 ml X kg-1 i.p.) in pregnant mice, and recovered more slowly thereafter.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)