title: Alterations in the baroreflex occur late in pregnancy in conscious rabbits.
abstract: Experiments were performed in conscious rabbits to investigate when during pregnancy cardiac baroreceptor reflex gain decreases. A decrease in gain was first observed after 3 weeks of gestation (-34.1 +/- 4.9 to -15.7 +/- 3.1 beats/min/mm Hg, p < 0.05) and became more pronounced after 4 weeks (-30.2 +/- 4.7 to -8.6 +/- 2.9 beats/min/mm Hg, p < 0.05). These results indicate that the attenuation of baroreflex function does not become fully manifest until late in pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland 97201-3098, USA.
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Quesnell
authors.forename: V L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Brooks
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017704:Baroreflex; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003243:Consciousness; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D011817:Rabbits