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Effects of Fasting on Uterine Blood Flow and Substrate Uptake in Sheep¹

Houston Perinatal Nutrition Laboratory, Departments of Pediatrics and of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77025 and Departments of Pediatrics and of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Southwestern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Dallas, Dalls, TX 75235

Twelve chronically instrumented late-gestation ewes fasted for 5 days were found to have a 25% decrease in total uterine blood flow and a 20% decrease in placental blood flow. Cardiac output was unchanged but was redistributed, as measured by radiolabeled microspheres, in a pattern similar to that produced by catecholamines. Fasting also was associated with hypoglycemia and altered whole blood amino acid concentrations. Uterine uptakes of glucose, oxygen, essential amino acids and glutamine, an important uterine and fetal nutrient, were decreased significantly during fasting. The increased hepatic blood flow and decreased arterial concentrations of glucogenic amino acids observed during fasting are consistent with a redistribution of maternal cardiac output to support maternal hepatic gluconeogenesis at the expense of nutrient supply to the gravid uterus.

KEY WORDS: • blood flow • fasting • glucose • sheep • uterus • placenta

¹ Aided by a Basil O'Connor Starter Research Grant and Basic Science Grant number 1-552 from The National Foundation-March of Dimes and by USPHS grant numbers R01 HD08783-06 and 5 R01 HD11337-01; Dr. Crandell was supported by Research Fellowship Award number 5 F32 HDO5467-02 awarded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, USPHS.

² To whom reprint requests should be sent at: Department of Pediatrics, 6431 Fannin, Houston, TX 77030.

Manuscript received 14 March 1980.

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