Effects of maternal ethanol infusion on fetal cardiovascular and brain activity in lambs.
Ethanol (1 gm/kg of maternal body weight administered over 1 hour) was infused intravenously into 11 chronically prepared pregnant ewes between 128 to 137 days' gestation. Fetal breathing movements were suppressed for 9 hours following ethanol administration, and both high- and low-voltage fetal electrocortical activity were suppressed for 3 hours and replaced by intermediate-voltage electrocortical activity. Fetal blood gases and pH were not altered. These data support the hypothesis that ethanol suppresses fetal breathing movements by a direct central mechanism rather than indirectly by alteration of electrocortical activity.
D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000097:blood; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000187:drug effects*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004585:Electrooculography; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000032:analysis; D005318:Fetal Heart / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005333:Fetus / Q000187:drug effects*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D008954:Models, Biological; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D012119:Respiration
D001786:Blood Glucose; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D000431:Ethanol; D010100:Oxygen