Cardiac output distribution and uteroplacental blood flow in the pregnant rabbit: a comparative study

Journal Article · Fri Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1985 · Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0002-9378(85)90165-6· OSTI ID:5664045

Johnson, R L; Gilbert, M; Meschia, G; Battaglia, F C

This study presents data on cardiac output distribution and uterine and placental blood flows in pregnant rabbits under chronic steady-state conditions. Ten litters and 67 fetuses were studied at 29 days of gestation, by means of radioactive microspheres. Five nonpregnant female animals were also studied for comparison. Mean cardiac outputs were 747.16 +/- 55.7 and 613.80 +/- 63.76 ml/min in the pregnant and nonpregnant states, respectively. In the pregnant animals, uterine and mammary blood flows were 6.7% +/- 0.7% and 5.1% +/- 0.5% of cardiac output, respectively. Within litters, the highest placental blood flows occurred at the ovarian and vaginal ends of the uterine horn. Placental blood flow per gram of fetus was 0.106 +/- 0.008 ml X min-1 X gm-1. A comparison with analogous data in the guinea pig and sheep demonstrates that toward the end of pregnancy placental blood flow per gram of fetus is approximately 2.5-times higher in sheep than in rabbits and guinea pigs. Expressed as a percentage of cardiac output, near-term uterine blood flow is significantly less in rabbits than in guinea pigs and sheep, whereas mammary blood flow is significantly higher. These interspecies differences are related to differences in placental structure, fetal/maternal mass ratio, and maturity at birth.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver
• OSTI ID: 5664045
• Journal Information: Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol.; (United States), Journal Name: Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol.; (United States) Vol. 151:5; ISSN AJOGA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

551001* -- Physiological Systems-- Tracer Techniques
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ANIMALS
BLOOD FLOW
COBALT ISOTOPES
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DOMESTIC ANIMALS
FETAL MEMBRANES
FETUSES
GUINEA PIGS
ISOTOPES
MAMMALS
MEASURING METHODS
MEMBRANES
MICROSPHERES
PLACENTA
PREGNANCY
RABBITS
RODENTS
RUMINANTS
SHEEP
VARIATIONS
VERTEBRATES