The rate of gastric emptying in pregnancy was measured indirectly using the rate of paracetamol absorption in four groups of 15 patients: non-pregnant controls, first trimester patients presenting for termination of pregnancy, second trimester patients presenting for prostaglandin termination of pregnancy, and patients presenting for elective Caesarean section. All patients were fasted for 6 h and then received paracetamol tablets 1.5 g orally with water 50 ml. Blood samples were taken at 15-min intervals for 120 min and analysed for paracetamol concentration. There was no significant difference between the groups in the maximum concentration and time to maximum concentration (ANOVA). The AUC was reduced for the first trimester group at 60 and 120 min (P less than 0.05). No significant delay in gastric emptying was demonstrated in any of the three trimesters of pregnancy compared with the control group.