Objective: Maternal plasma hypotonicity occurs early in rat and human pregnancy with resetting of the plasma osmolality threshold for vasopressin secretion and thirst. In humans, amniotic fluid volume reaches maximum levels in the mid-third trimester and decreases thereafter. We hypothesized that a reversal of maternal plasma hypotonicity occurs near term, contributing to reduced fetal and amniotic fluid water content.
Methods: Maternal plasma and amniotic fluid osmolality and sodium levels, including amniotic fluid volume, were measured at 16, 18 and 20 days of rat gestation. Additionally, maternal and fetal brains were analyzed for water and electrolyte content. Non-pregnant adult female rats represented controls.
Results: Compared to non-pregnant adults, 16-day and 18-day pregnant rats had significantly lower plasma osmolality (301.0 +/- 2.3 vs. 295.4 +/- 2.8 and 289.7 +/- 3.3 mOsm/kg, respectively) and sodium levels (140.3 +/- 1.0 vs. 135.7 +/- 0.8 and 133.4 +/- 1.4 mEq/l, respectively). Conversely, 20-day pregnant rats showed no significant difference in plasma osmolality (298.4 +/- 3.1 mOsm/kg) or sodium levels (137.6 +/- 1.0 mEq/l) from non-pregnant adults. With advancing gestation, the amniotic fluid volume decreased whereas the osmolality and sodium levels increased significantly. Maternal brain water content was significantly higher in 16-day and 18-day pregnant rats compared to control rats (78.7 +/- 0.1 and 78.1 +/- 0.2 vs. 76.9 +/- 0.2% wet weight) and returned to non-pregnant values in the 20-day pregnant rats (76.6 +/- 0.2%). In association with the maternal changes, fetal brain water and electrolyte content significantly decreased from 16-day to 18-day to 20-day fetuses.
Conclusion: These findings indicate a reversal of maternal plasma hypotonicity and reduced maternal brain water content in the near-term pregnant rat. We speculate that relative maternal plasma hypertonicity near term may contribute to reduced amniotic fluid volume.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/jmf.13.3.197.202 | DOI Listing |
BMC Med Educ
January 2025
Department of Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg Campus 1, Bonn, 53127, Germany.
Introduction: The technical development of ultrasound devices based on silicon chips has revolutionized ultrasound examinations, leading to the implementation of these portable handheld devices (PUD) in different medical fields. However, training on these devices is necessary to assure appropriate use and ensure valid results. While training programs for the use of conventional standard ultrasound devices (SUD) have been described, no training program for these handheld devices has been developed thus far.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Pediatr
January 2025
Henan Provincial Institute of Medical Genetics, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
Objective: Our study aimed to collect fetuses with recurrent 1q21.1 deletion or duplication syndrome for systematic clinical phenotype analysis to further delineate the intrauterine phenotype features of the two reciprocal syndromes.
Methods: Prenatal samples, including amniotic fluid and chorionic villus samples, were obtained by amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling at our center, respectively.
Biol Reprod
January 2025
Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
The creatine (Cr) biosynthesis pathway buffers ATP in metabolically active tissues. We investigated whether sex of fetus and day of gestation influence Cr in endometrial and conceptus tissues from gilts on Days 60 and Day 90 (n = 6 gilts/day) of gestation. Uterine and conceptus tissues associated with one male and one female fetus from each gilt were analyzed for creatine, mRNAs, and proteins for Cr biosynthesis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUltrasound Obstet Gynecol
January 2025
Ultrasound Unit, Helen Schneider Hospital for Women, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Hospital, Petach Tikva, Israel.
Objective: Portosystemic shunts in growth-restricted fetuses are more common than previously thought. We aimed to describe fetuses with growth restriction and transient oligohydramnios in which a congenital intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (CIPSS) was noted during follow-up.
Methods: This was a retrospective study of all fetuses diagnosed with growth restriction and transient oligohydramnios during a 5-year period in a large tertiary referral center.
J Magn Reson Imaging
January 2025
Department of Radiology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Background: At high magnetic fields, degraded image quality due to dielectric artifacts and elevated specific absorption rate (SAR) are two technical challenges in fetal MRI.
Purpose: To assess the potential of high dielectric constant (HDC) pad in increasing image quality and decreasing SAR for 3 T fetal MRI.
Study Type: Prospective.
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