Fetal pH improvement after 24 h of severe, nonlethal hypoxia.
The accumulation of hydrogen ions in fetal blood when fetal oxygenation is acutely decreased suggests metabolic instability. However, in 6 chronically prepared fetal sheep whose arterial O2 content and pO2 were abruptly reduced and maintained at about 1.7 mM and 12.6 Torr, respectively, we observed a significant decrease in fetal arterial lactate concentrations and an increase in pH to normal values after 24 h of continuous hypoxia compared with values observed after 5 h. This demonstrates that fetal pH measurements may not detect prolonged intrauterine hypoxia.
Wilkening
R B
RB
Departments of Pediatrics and Physiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver.
Boyle
D W
DW
Meschia
G
G
D000818:Animals; D001639:Bicarbonates / Q000097:blood; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D006614:Hindlimb / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007773:Lactates / Q000097:blood; D019344:Lactic Acid; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D012756:Sheep; D013997:Time Factors
D001639:Bicarbonates; D007773:Lactates; D019344:Lactic Acid; D010100:Oxygen