Abstract
Glucose levels in arterial blood reaching the fetal upper body are greater than in blood supplying the lower body(J Devlop Physiol 6:431, 1984). Since fetal body proportions change towards term, we evaluated whether distribution of glucose within the fetus changes. 13 sheep were prepared at 103-128 days, with maternal arterial(MA), and fetal carotid(CA), femoral arterial(FA)and umbilical venous(UV)catheters. Studies were done at 110 to 142 days on healthy fetuses(FA>pH 7.301, ≥3 days postop and ≥ 2 days before delivery. Whole blood, simultaneously drawn from all vessels, was analyzed for glucose and O2 content.
Glucose was 35% lower in older animals, due to lower MA levels(58.5 ±1.8mg/dl at 110-119 days vs 53.4±0.8 at>130, p<0.02). CA glucose was>FA in all studies. While the absolute CA-FA fell, the % difference between vessels was stable af∼10%. In contrast, there was no change in fetal O2 content in any vessel nor in the CA-FA O2 difference;CA O2 was 6.23±0.32ml/dl(n=12)at 110-119 vs 5.77 0.50 at> 130 days and CA-FA for O2 was 0.90±0.76ml/dl(n=12)at 110-119 vs 1.16±0.62 at 130. We conclude:the proportional distribution of glucose is stable over the third trimester, but changes in UV glucose will alter the absolute CA-FA difference.
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Charlton, V., Johengen, M. UPPER/LOWER BODY GLUCOSE CONCENTRATION DIFFERENCES WITH ADVANCING GESTATION. Pediatr Res 21 (Suppl 4), 211 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198704010-00268
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198704010-00268