This study examines the role of the peripheral chemoreceptors in mediating fetal cardiovascular responses to prolonged hypoxia secondary to reduced uterine blood flow (RUBF). Fetal sheep were chronically instrumented for continuous heart rate (FHR), blood pressure (FBP), and carotid blood flow (CBF) measurements after bilateral sectioning of the carotid sinus and vagus nerves (denervated, n = 7) or sham denervation (intact, n = 7). Four days postoperatively, uterine blood flow was mechanically restricted, reducing fetal arterial oxygen saturation by 47.3% (P < 0.01). An initial bradycardia was observed in intact (184.0 ± 10.7 to 160.5 ± 10.7 beats/min, not significant) but not denervated fetuses, followed by a tachycardia (180.0 ± 2.2 to 193.7 ± 2.7 beats/min, P < 0.05). FHR increased in denervated fetuses (175.5 ± 8.7 to 203.0 ± 17.9 beats/min, P < 0.05). FBP increased transiently in intact fetuses from 45.1 ± 1.0 to 55.4 ± 3.0 mmHg at 2 h (P < 0.01), whereas denervated fetuses demonstrated a decrease in FBP from 47.1 ± 4.2 to 37.2 ± 3.7 mmHg (not significant). CBF increased (P < 0.05) in both intact and denervated fetuses from 39.3 ± 2.8 and 29.7 ± 3.8 ml · min¹ · kg¹ to 47.7 ± 0.4 and 39.1 ± 0.3 ml · min¹ · kg¹, respectively, whereas carotid vascular resistance decreased only in denervated fetuses (1.7 ± 0.1 to 1.1 ± 0.02 mmHg · ml¹ · min · kg¹, P < 0.05). We conclude that the peripheral chemoreceptors play an important role in mediating fetal cardiovascular responses to prolonged RUBF.

fetus; chemoreceptors; heart rate; arterial blood pressure; carotid blood flow