Biomaterial Database

Aspects of intra-uterine fetal resuscitation. 1980

J W Downing, and J G Brock-Utne, and M Mankowitz

An analogy may be drawn between the lungs and placenta regarding distribution and matching of their exchanging flows. Furthermore, prostaglandins probably play a role in restoring the normal pulmonary ventilation-to-perfusion ratio (V/Q) and the uterine (maternal)-to-umbilical (fetal) placental perfusion ratio (Q-q). Availability of oxygen to the fetal brain is probably independent of PaO2, provided cerebral tissue PO2 is above a certain critical level. Oxygen content rather than PO2 of the blood perfusing the fetal brain is the prime factor in maintaining adequate cerebral oxygenation. With the above physiological consideration in mind, the concept of intra-uterine fetal resuscitation is presented. The hypothesis that low concentrations of aneasthetic vapours and 60% oxygen inhaled by the mother in the presence of fetal distress improve placental blood flow matching, and hence fetal cerebral oxygenation, is discussed.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007743	Labor, Obstetric	The repetitive uterine contraction during childbirth which is associated with the progressive dilation of the uterine cervix (CERVIX UTERI). Successful labor results in the expulsion of the FETUS and PLACENTA. Obstetric labor can be spontaneous or induced (LABOR, INDUCED).	Obstetric Labor
D008168	Lung	Either of the pair of organs occupying the cavity of the thorax that effect the aeration of the blood.	Lungs
D008431	Maternal-Fetal Exchange	Exchange of substances between the maternal blood and the fetal blood at the PLACENTA via PLACENTAL CIRCULATION. The placental barrier excludes microbial or viral transmission.	Transplacental Exposure,Exchange, Maternal-Fetal,Exposure, Transplacental,Maternal Fetal Exchange
D010100	Oxygen	An element with atomic symbol O, atomic number 8, and atomic weight [15.99903; 15.99977]. It is the most abundant element on earth and essential for respiration.	Dioxygen,Oxygen-16,Oxygen 16
D010101	Oxygen Consumption	The rate at which oxygen is used by a tissue; microliters of oxygen STPD used per milligram of tissue per hour; the rate at which oxygen enters the blood from alveolar gas, equal in the steady state to the consumption of oxygen by tissue metabolism throughout the body. (Stedman, 25th ed, p346)	Consumption, Oxygen,Consumptions, Oxygen,Oxygen Consumptions
D010313	Partial Pressure	The pressure that would be exerted by one component of a mixture of gases if it were present alone in a container. (From McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 6th ed)	Partial Pressures,Pressure, Partial,Pressures, Partial
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D005260	Female		Females
D005333	Fetus	The unborn young of a viviparous mammal, in the postembryonic period, after the major structures have been outlined. In humans, the unborn young from the end of the eighth week after CONCEPTION until BIRTH, as distinguished from the earlier EMBRYO, MAMMALIAN.	Fetal Structures,Fetal Tissue,Fetuses,Mummified Fetus,Retained Fetus,Fetal Structure,Fetal Tissues,Fetus, Mummified,Fetus, Retained,Structure, Fetal,Structures, Fetal,Tissue, Fetal,Tissues, Fetal
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man