Slotten P, Phernetton T M, Rankin J H
Department of Obstetrics-Gynecology, University of Wisconsin, Madison.
J Dev Physiol. 1989 Jan;11(1):19-23.
Local blood flow was measured with radioactive microspheres in 9 near-term ewes 2 min into successive high and low voltage electrocortical activity states. In an additional 8 animals the umbilical blood flow was measured using an electromagnetic flow-probe on the common umbilical vein. The microsphere data indicated that the blood flow during low and high voltage electrocortical activity was 185 +/- 22 ml/min per kg of fetus (SEM) and 165 +/- 22 ml/min per kg of fetus (P less than 0.01) respectively. Using the electromagnetic flowprobe the average flow during low and high voltage electrocortical activity was 203 +/- 14 ml/min per kg of fetus and 196 +/- 13 ml/min per kg of fetus (P less than 0.05) respectively. We observed that the decrease in the umbilical blood flow preceded the change from low to high voltage electrocortical activity by approximately 1 min. In that time the flow is significantly lower than it was during the preceding measurements taken during the low voltage electrocortical activity periods. This depression was still significantly lower at 3 min into the high voltage electrocortical activity whereas at 5 min into the high voltage state it was elevated to near average values. We conclude that the umbilical blood flow, on the average, is lower in high voltage states than it is in low voltage states and that this change precedes the switch from low to high voltage electrocortical activity.
