Reference standards and the physiologic significance of the pregnant goat (Capra hircus) as a human model in obstetrical research.
1. Amniotic fluid, cerebrospinal fluid, serum, and urine chemistries; respiratory rate and arterial and mixed venous blood gases; heart rate, hematocrit, and cardiac output; and arterial, pulmonary artery, central venous and pulmonary wedge pressures were measured in 20 pregnant adult goats of 19.5-34 kg body weight. 2. Arithmetic means, standard deviations, and coefficients of variation were calculated to develop reference values; in addition, the 95% confidence limits for ranges were established. 3. Comparison of derived data with that from non-pregnant goats shows changes similar to those seen when examining pregnant and non-pregnant humans. 4. These results indicate the pregnant goat is an acceptable model for human obstetrical research.
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006041:Goats / Q000502:physiology*; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000502:physiology*; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012119:Respiration