The brain of the asphyxiated fetus--basic research.
The question whether asphyxia may be harmful to the brain of the fetus and newborn is largely related to the gestational age. Experimental studies on chronically prepared fetal sheep suggest that the resistance to asphyxia associated with maturity is not only related to structural changes in the fetal brain during development. Also, maturational changes of the sympathetic nervous system seem to be involved, which provide the neurohumoral basis for an effective circulatory and metabolic centralization to ensure intact survival of asphyxia (Jensen and Berger, 1991). This review will summarize the peculiarities of the fetal circulation, the redistribution of organ blood flow during hypoxaemia and asphyxia and its changes during development. Finally, it will focus on direct effects of asphyxia on the fetal brain. Future work in this field will have to concentrate on the important question how the fetal brain can be protected against the adverse effects of asphyxia.
Jensen
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Department of Obsteirics and Gynaecology, Ruhr-University-Bochum Knappschafts-Krankenhaus, Germany.
D001921:Brain / Q000196:embryology*; D005260:Female; D005311:Fetal Hypoxia; D005333:Fetus / Q000098:blood supply; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy