The effect of hyperventilation on maternal placental blood flow in pregnant rabbits.

1. In anaesthetized pregnant rabbits near term, cardiac output and its distribution were measured by injection of isotope-labelled microspheres. Hypocapnia (mean arterial P(CO) (2) 18 mm Hg), induced by intermittent positive pressure hyperventilation, caused a 43% reduction in maternal placental blood flow, attributed mainly to vasoconstriction. Myometrial flow was not significantly changed.2. Moderate hypercapnia (mean arterial P(CO) (2) 46 mm Hg) caused no change in placental flow, compared with observations made while breathing air spontaneously (P(CO) (2) 31 mm Hg).3. Intravenous infusions of adrenaline or noradrenaline 1 mug/kg. min caused maternal placental vasoconstriction.4. During the especially warm summer of 1969, there was a mean 46% reduction in maternal placental blood flow in pregnant rabbits near term, breathing room air spontaneously with normal blood gas values and rectal temperatures. This was associated with an increase in the number of runts and dead foetuses.