Experimental toxemia in the pregnant guinea pig (Cavia porcellus).

In two groups of nonpregnant guinea pigs, uterine ischemia was produced by banding the uterine arteries and transecting the ovarian arteries. Since this procedure prevented the increase of uterine blood supply that normally occurs during pregnancy, uteroplacental ischemia resulted when the animals became pregnant. Intraarterial blood pressures were recorded immediately after surgery and again near term. Hypertension, proteinuria and elevated creatinine levels (changes similar to those of human preeclampsia) were consistently found near term in all of the banded animals that became pregnant. These findings support the view that it is possible to develop a toxemia model in the guinea pig.