Abstract
In order to understand the control of fetal acid-base status, it is necessary to consider its relationship to the maternal acid-base status. The present investigation was designed to study the relationship between fetal and maternal capillary blood pCO2 during normal labor and following artificial increase and decrease of maternal pCO2. The relationship between fetal heart rate and fetal pCO2 was also investigated. A positive linear relationship between maternal and fetal pCO2 was found and a mathematical expression for this relationship determined. A positive correlation between fetal heart rate and fetal pCO2, was found. Maternal overbreathing lowered fetal pCO2 and carbogen inhalation raised fetal pCO2 The fetal maternal pCO2 gradient was altered during these acute experiments. In 4 patients with fetal hypercapnia, the fetal heart rate pattern showed features consistent with cord compression and in one other patient with marked bradycardia during a contraction a rise in fetal PCO2 occurred during the period of bradycardia.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
