Ovine fetal adrenal gland and cardiovascular function.

Given the necessity of the adrenal gland in maintaining cardiovascular function in adults of various species, these experiments were conducted to determine if fetal bilateral adrenalectomy results in altered resting heart rate, hypotension, and decreased basal blood volume as well as a diminished ability of the fetus to maintain arterial pressure and restore blood volume in response to hemorrhage. We studied heart rate, arterial blood pressure, and blood volume changes in response to hemorrhage of 20% of blood volume at 2%/min in seven adrenalectomized and six intact chronically cannulated unanesthetized lambs between 119 and 133 days of gestation. Blood volumes and percent restitution of shed volume were determined using 51Cr-tagged red blood cells and changes in hematocrit. There was no significant difference between groups in basal heart rate, mean arterial pressure, hematocrit, and blood volume. The two groups were similar to hemorrhage-induced changes in these and restitution of volume. Therefore, fetal adrenal glands are not necessary for basal cardiovascular function or regulation subsequent to moderate hemorrhage in the late gestation ovine fetus.