Studies on experimental growth retardation in sheep. The effects of a small placenta in restricting transport to and growth of the fetus.

Fetal and placental growth rate in sheep has been manipulated by removal of endometrial caruncles prior to conception. This produced two groups of fetuses, one in which prenatal growth rate was similar to normal and a second group in which the fetuses were about half of the normal size. The mortality in the latter group was high, particularly after catheterisation, and there was evidence of early intra-uterine death and fetal reabsorption. Prior to 125 days the relationship between fetal and placental size was poor, but after 126 days a close correlation between the two was apparent. The small fetuses had comparably small placentas and in all cases there was a close relationship between fetal and placental weight. The experimental growth retardation was associated with hypoglycaemia, hypoxia and hypoinsulinaemia. Plasma T3, T4 and particularly prolactin were very low in the small fetuses whilst levels of cortisol and alanine were high. In contrast to the controls these fetuses showed little evidence of net glucose, alanine or lactate consumption. Infusion of 50% glucose into the pregnant ewe, sufficient to elevate maternal plasma glucose concentrations 2 to 3 fold, caused a comparable increase in the plasma concentrations of normal fetuses but only a 50% rise in the concentration in small fetuses. In contrast administration of 50% O2 to the ewes sufficient to cause a 2 to 3-fold increase in maternal PO2 caused only a small increase of arterial PO2 of normal fetuses but doubled that to normal levels in small fetuses. The results are discussed in relation to the effect of reduced placental size causing a fall in placental and transport and transport capacity and significance of this to the associated fetal growth retardation.