Effects of hypercapnia on uterine and umbilical circulations in conscious pregnant sheep

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Abstract
Changes in the uterine and umbilical circulations during induced hypercapnia were studied in nine unanesthetized near-term pregnant sheep. Blood flows were measured with electromagnetic flow transducers and arterial pressures with vascular catheters implanted under anesthesia 2–16 days prior to experiments. Hypercapnia was induced in the fetus alone by giving acetazolamide iv to the fetus, 100–200 mg/kg. Mean fetal arterial Pco2 increased from49.5 to 63.4 mmHg but no significant changes in umbilical blood flowoccurred. Stepwise increases in both maternal and fetal arterial Pco2 were induced by increasing maternal inspired CO2 concentration to a maximum of 12%. Nodignificant changes occurred in uterine or umbilical circulations until hypercapnia was severe (maternal arterial Pco2 greater than 60 mmHg, fetal arterial Pco2 greater than 70 mmHg). With severe hypercapnia uterine vascular resistance increased significantly and uterine blood flow decreased despitean increase in maternal arterial pressure; fetal arterial pressure and umbilical blood flow increased significantly, but umbilical vascular resistancedid not. We conclude that hypercapnia in conscious pregnant sheep is associated with significant changes in uterine and umbilical circulations, but only when hypercapnia is severe. Carbon dioxide is unlikely to be a factor innormal physiological regulation of the uteroplacental circulation in this species.