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Am J Perinatol 1984; 1(4): 293-297
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-1000024
ORIGINAL ARTICLE

© 1984 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.

Trends in Continuous Metabolic Monitoring During Experimental Fetal Distress

M. Maurice Abitbol1 , Edmund F. La Gamma2
  • 1The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jamaica Hospital, an affiliate of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of The New York Hospital, Jamaica, New York
  • 2The Perinatology Center of The New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, New York, New York
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Publication Date:
04 March 2008 (online)

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ABSTRACT

Intermittent, progressive maternal aortic occlusions were used to produce fetal distress in the fetuses of six pregnant dogs at term. Fetal heart rate and fetal tissue surface pH were continuously recorded and were compared to fetal blood pH, pCO2, pO2 and lactic acid values determined from intermittent sampling. Baseline fetal heart rate was an insensitive indicator of fetal blood pH, tissue surface pH, or of fetal blood lactic acid concentrations. “Delayed” decelerations in fetal heart rate following an occlusive episode were uniformly produced after minimal stress and also did not correlate well with these variables. On the other hand, fetal blood lactic acid concentrations remained elevated even after occlusive episodes were discontinued and other variables had returned to baseline values.