Maternal influences on fetal cardiovascular system in the sheep, dog, and rabbit

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Abstract
Continuous recordings of the fetal carotid artery blood flow, blood pressure, heart rate; renal, brain, uterine, and cotelydon blood flow; and maternal carotid artery blood pressure and heart rate were made during and after varied types of maternal stimulations and chemical injections in three anatomically different types of placental-uterine-fetal arrangements as exemplified by the sheep, dog, and rabbit. Included in this series was pinching of the ear, eyeball pressure, asphyxia, pure tones, stroking of the viscera, vagal stimulation, and intravenous injection of epinephrine, norepinephrine, acetylcholine, serotonin, and sodium pentobarbital. In all three animal species the fetal physiological responses were, in general, the same for any particular type of maternal stimulus or chemical injection. Fetal carotid artery blood flow together with fetal renal and brain blood flow were the most reliable indicators of fetal response to any particular maternal influence, with fetal blood pressure next and fetal cardiac rate the least reliable. Fetal renal and brain vasculature responded in the same qualitative manner to all maternal influences, whereas fetal carotid artery blood pressure and flow and cardiac rate were variable in their responses. All fetal responses were distinguished by their long duration, especially the renal and brain vascular responses.

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