ACUTE PHYSIOPATHOLOGICAL AND HISTOPATHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF FETAL DISTRESS ON THE FETAL STOMACH - AN EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY

Although effects of stress on the stomach have been extensively invest igated in children and adults, our knowledge about effects of fetal di stress (FD) on the fetal stomach is quite limited. Therefore, an exper imental study was planned to evaluate the effects of FD on fetal gastr ic physiology and histology. In this study, a model of FD was created by way of intermittent maternal aortic occlusion in pregnant rabbits. In total, 21 fetuses of 6 pregnant rabbits were available for surgical and laboratory procedures. Laboratory examinations showed that (1) fe tal gastric acid secretion was 4.24 +/- 2.68 mu Eq/h in the control gr oup and 18.08 +/- 6.34 mu Eq/h in the distress group (p < 0.01) and (2 ) fetal gastric PGE(2) level was 16.59 +/- 6.15 mg/g wet weight in the control group and 9.86 +/- 3.46 mg/g wet weight in the distress group (p < 0.05). Histopathologically, there were mild hemorrhagic and erro sive changes in the distressed fetuses, but not in control fetuses. Th ese findings support that FD adversely affects fetal gastric physiolog y through two mechanisms consisting of increased gastric acid secretio n and decreased fetal gastric protection in rabbits. Consequently, gas tric injury should be noted as a potential problem among hypoxia-assoc iated abnormalities encountered in the distressed fetus.