Abstract
With increased number of pregnant cardiac patients, usage of Digoxin may be expected to increase. Also Digoxin has been used during pregnancy for the treatment of fetal arrhythmias. In order to explore the effect of Digoxin on uterine flow and on the fetus, fifteen experiments were conducted in seven chronically instrumented pregnant ewes. The animals were equipped with electro-magnetic flow meters in the uterine arteries and catheters inserted in the maternal aorta, fetal aorta and inferior vena cava. After obtaining baseline values, 1.2 mg Digoxin IV bolus injection, maternal observations were done at 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180 minutes. The fetal parameters were assessed at 30, 90, and 150 minutes after drug injection. Although 9 out of 15 experiments showed decreased uterine blood flow, the overall decrease was not statistically significant. In all 15 experiments the maternal heart rate and PCO2 were noted to decrease (p <.001). The fetal blood pressure was found to decrease (p <.001), the PO2 also decreased (p <.05), and the PCO2 increased (p <.001). The maternal cardiovascular changes and possibly the Digoxin effect on the fetus can account for the above observations.
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