Gestational hypoxia elicits long-term cardiovascular dysfunction in female guinea pigs.

Background: Gestational hypoxia (GH) has been implicated in the developmental programming of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in the offspring, with most studies focusing on males, conversely, the effects on female cardiovascular health remain understudied. We aimed to investigate the impact of GH on the cardiovascular system of female guinea pig offspring from the early postnatal period to adulthood.

Methods: Pregnant guinea pigs were subjected to normoxic or hypoxic conditions from gestational day 30 until delivery (∼70 days).