[Study on the mechanism for fetal asphyxia in intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the cause of fetal asphyxia of mothers with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP).

METHODS

The cord plasma erythropoietin (EPO) concentrations were measured in 37 infants of mothers with ICP and 46 control infants after elective cesarean section. Furthermore, the transfer of oxygen across the placental membranes in ICP group (n = 7) were compared with controls (n = 8) by dual perfusion of the human placental lobule in vitro.

RESULTS

The oxygen transfer across the placental membrane in ICP was similar to the controls (P < 0.05). However cord venous EPO was lower in infants delivered by elective cesarean section from women with ICP (13.58 +/- 8.88 IU/L, P < 0.05) than that in control infants (20.43 +/- 14.15 IU/L).

CONCLUSION

The transfer of oxygen across the placental membrane in ICP may be normal. The lower cord venous EPO value in ICP may be mainly responsible for the fetal asphyxia.