Acid‐Base Relationship Between Mother and Fetus in Gestosis (Pre‐Eclampsia) and in Pregnant Women with a Labile Blood Pressure

Abstract

Simultaneous blood microsamples were taken from the maternal ear and uterine cervix and the fetus of healthy pregnant women, those with labile hypertension, and those with severe gestosis (pre-eclampsia). The po2, pH, BE and pco2 were studied. The fetuses showed no signs of asphyxia. The differences in BE values between the women withe gestosis and their fetuses were significantly greater than in the cases of healthy pregnancy. No differences were seen between healthy and gestotic gravida groups in po2, pH and pco2 values. This favours the opinion that in gestosis of the mother the fetus has a tendency to metabolic acidosis, which apparently places it in a poorer position than the fetuses of healthy mothers, should acute asphyxia occur. At the time of study the po2 of the fetuses of gravidas with a labile blood pressure was lower than that of fetuses of healthy gravidas.

Altered Intrahepatic Hematopoiesis in Neonates from Women with Pregnancy Induced Hypertension/Pre-Eclampsia

“…In preeclampsia, there is a faulty shallow placentation, i.e., a reduced invasion of the trophoblast into the uterus and its spiral arteries (3), resulting in a significant reduction in the uteroplacental blood flow (15), with a chronic prenatal fetal hypoxia. Hypoxia has been shown (1) indirectly, in the human umbilical artery and vein, where abnormal Doppler velocity waveforms indicate an increased vascular resistance (25) and hypoxia (11); (2) directly, by increased plasma adenosine (29) and erythropoietin levels (20) reduced pH and PO 2 levels, and increased PCO 2 levels in the human umbilical artery and human umbilical vein (21,24) ; and (3) clinically, by increased frequency of placental infarcts (2). Long-range uteroplacental hypoxemia may produce inflammatory changes in the placenta with the release of inflammatory chemokines, inducing fetal neutrophils' and monocytes' activation, which, in turn, may release additional inflammatory mediators (22).…”

Acid base balance in pre-eclamptic, hypertensive and diabetic pregnancies. Maternal blood and amniotic fluid studies

“…Otherwise the changes must be so subtle that they were not demonstrable within the limits of this type of study. Differences may become apparent when fhe fetus is exposed to the added Stresses of labor [12, 13,18]. Further studies of AF-L, AF-pC0 2 , and AF-p0 2 and the corresponding fetal blood levels during labor and/or at delivery in both normal and abnormal pregnancies are needed.…”

“…There have been few reports describing some acid base parameters in cord, or fetal blood in few patients with hypertensive disorders [12, 13,18] or diabetes mellitus [19]. There are even fewer studies of these parameters prior to onset of labor [3,14,16,21].…”