title: Fetal diuretic responses to maternal hyponatremia: contribution of placental sodium gradient.
abstract: Maternal hyponatremia induces fetal hyponatremia and increased fetal urine flow. We sought to examine the relative contributions of the placental Na(+) gradient vs. the absolute decrease in fetal plasma Na(+) in the fetal diuretic response to hyponatremia. Seven ewes with singleton fetuses (130 +/- 2 days) were prepared. Ewes received intravenous 1-desamino-8-D-arginine vasopressin (20 microg) and warm tap water (2 liters). Maternal plasma Na(+) was decreased to achieve two levels of maternal hyponatremia. Maternal and fetal blood volume were measured with radiolabeled red blood cells. In response to the first decrease in maternal plasma Na(+), fetal plasma Na(+) did not change initially. Subsequently, fetal plasma Na(+) decreased, normalizing the gradient. The second decrease in maternal plasma Na(+) similarly induced a reduced and normalized placental gradient at lower fetal plasma Na(+) values. Fetal urine flow increased in direct proportion to the degree of fetal hyponatremia (13, 38, 63, 100%, respectively). Maternal, although not fetal, blood volume significantly increased in response to hyponatremia. These results suggest that chronic fetal hyponatremia will result in a persistent diuresis, despite placental equilibration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, California 90502, USA. tjroberts@prl.humc.edu
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Nijland
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Ross
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001810:Blood Volume; D004231:Diuresis / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000378:metabolism; D005333:Fetus / Q000502:physiology*; D007010:Hyponatremia / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007668:Kidney / Q000196:embryology; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012756:Sheep; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D012964:Sodium