Abstract
Placental transfer and fetal urinary excretion of gentamicin was studied in mid-trimester goat and human previable fetuses during constant rate maternal infusion with the drug. Gentamicin was not detected in the serum of any of the goat fetuses, even when maternal serum concentrations ranged from 15.2 μg./ml. to 20.9 μg/ml. However, gentamicin was present in the amniotic fluid of four animals from which fetal urine was not collected. Gentamicin was also present in fetal urine collected from three animals. In contrast, human fetal central venous serum concentrations of gentamicin were 21% to 37% of those in maternal serum following constant rate infusion of the mother. In addition, gentamicin was present in human fetal urine in concentrations two to three times those in fetal serum. Gentamicin crosses the human placenta more readily than the goat placenta and is concentrated and excreted by the mid-trimester fetal kidney. This study illustrates the inherent danger in extrapolating information obtained from animal studies of placental transfer of drugs, and emphasizes the need to conduct carefully designed, confirmatory studies in human beings. (Supported in part by USPHS Grant 15956).
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Kauffman, R., Azarnoff, D., Morris, J. et al. PLACENTAL TRANSFER AND FETAL URINARY EXCRETION OF GENTAMICIN DURING CONSTANT RATE MATERNAL INFUSION. Pediatr Res 8, 364 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197404000-00143
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197404000-00143