Pethidine blood concentrations at time of birth.
Pethidine levels in maternal and fetal blood were estimated at birth after variable periods of intramuscular administration--delivery intervals in forty pregnant women. The results suggest that maternal--fetal equilibrium occurs at a fast rate with a regression coefficient initially of 0.54. There appeared to be a tendency towards trapping of the drug in the fetal circulation resulting in a rise in the regression coefficient after 3 h reaching 0.85. The pharmacokinetics and the clinical significance of these observations are discussed.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, St. Luke's Hospital, Malta.
C
C
Savona-Ventura
M
M
Sammut
C
C
Sammut
D016362:Analgesia, Obstetrical; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000097:blood*; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D008614:Meperidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D011247:Pregnancy
D008614:Meperidine