Fetal breathing movements and maternal hyperoxia in the growth retarded fetus.

The effect of fetal breathing movements (FBM) of maternal breathing of 50% oxygen was examined. The procedure caused a two-fold rise in maternal arterial Po2 and did not alter FBM in normal pregnancy. In pregnancy complicated by intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) a substantial increase in the incidence of FBM was recorded during hyperoxia (control 29.8 +/- 3.9%, hyperoxia 68.2 +/- 3.6). No such change was observed in pregnancies where IUGR was suspected but not proven at delivery.