title: Maternal oxygen therapy for intrauterine growth retardation.
abstract: Humidified oxygen (55%) was administered continuously through a face mask to 5 patients whose pregnancies (4 singleton and 1 twin) were all complicated by severe intrauterine growth retardation, oligohydramnios, high blood-flow impedance in the fetal aorta and umbilical artery, and low mean blood-velocity in the fetal thoracic aorta. All the fetuses were hypoxic and 2 were acidotic. After maternal hyperoxygenation, the fetal pO2 increased to within or near the normal range, and resulted in a sustained increase in the mean blood-velocity in the fetal thoracic aorta. 5 fetuses survived with minimum neonatal morbidity. The effect of maternal hyperoxygenation on the fetal pO2 in such cases may prove to be a useful method of assessing placental function and guiding management.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000503:physiopathology; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000032:analysis; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005311:Fetal Hypoxia / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy / Q000379:methods; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen