Effect of selective occlusion of the umbilical arteries and/or veins on uterine blood flow in sheep.
Maternal uterine blood flow was depressed during total umbilical cord occlusion, probably based on an increased fetal cotyledonary tissue pressure (Hasaart and de Haan (1985) Eur. J. Obstet. Gynec. Reprod. Biol., 19, 125-131). This supposed mechanism was further analysed by performing selective occlusions of the umbilical arteries and/or veins (mean occlusion time 35 s). An occluding device which allowed separate occlusion of umbilical veins and arteries was applied to the umbilical cord in 7 chronically prepared fetal lambs between 106 and 135 days gestation. Median uterine artery blood flow (UBF) was measured with an electromagnetic flow meter. During occlusion of both umbilical veins (VV, n = 22) in 6 animals a maximal decrease in UBF to 87.5% of control value (P less than 0.001) was found at the end occlusion, followed by a gradual return to control value in the post occlusion period. Occlusion of both umbilical arteries (AA, n = 29) in 5 animals was accompanied by a slight increase in UBF to 103% of control value (P less than 0.01). Total occlusion of the umbilical arteries and veins simultaneously (n = 17) in 4 animals did not result in any change in UBF. The changes in volume and turgor in the fetal cotyledonary tissue associated with the arterial and venous occlusions should lead to respectively a decrease (AA) and increase (VV) in resistance to maternal flow, causing the changes in uterine blood flow. It is concluded that volume changes in the fetal compartment of the sheep placenta affect maternal uterine blood flow.
D000818:Animals; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D003250:Constriction; D005260:Female; D011247:Pregnancy; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D012756:Sheep; D014469:Umbilical Arteries / Q000502:physiology*; D014471:Umbilical Veins / Q000502:physiology*; D014599:Uterus / Q000098:blood supply*