Abstract
The effect of hypoxia (H) on fetal (F) and placental (P) growth during pregnancy was studied by placing rats in a hypobaric chamber (Pchamber = 400 torr). Ambient PO2 (torr) of control (C) animals was 123; ambient PO2 of H animals was 74. All animals resided in normoxic environments for the first 6 days of gestation. On day 7, H animals were placed at a barometric pressure 50 torr < atmospheric; the vacuum was increased in 50 torr increments over 4 days to achieve a barometric pressure of 400 torr by day 10 of gestation (term=21 days). At 20 days, the following variables were measured for 118 C and 69 H fetuses: litter size (L); F wt (gm); P wt (gm); and the quantities of protein (Prot-mg), DNA and RNA (microgm) per placenta. Mean results are shown below:
Hypoxia reduces F wt and increases the ratio of P/F. Placental composition of Prot, DNA and RNA did not change. This suggests: 1) hypoxia affects fetal but not placental weight gain during pregnancy, 2) fetal and placental growth are not inextricably correlated, and 3) maternal circulatory adjustments to hypoxia may maintain placental weight.
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Berman, W., Greenberg, R. & Johnson, J. 237 EFFECTS OF HYPOXIA ON FETAI AND PLACENTAL GROWTH. Pediatr Res 19, 150 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198504000-00267
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198504000-00267
