SummarySustained fetal hyperglycemia was produced in eight chronically catheterized fetal lambs (seven twins, one singleton) by means of direct fetal glucose infusion. In twin preparations, only one twin was infused, the noninfused twin serving.~;~simultaneous in utero control. Glucose infusions lasted 7.6 +t M8 days and resulted in significant fetal hyperglycemia (from 20.3 + 1.1 mg/dl to 58.2 + 4.7 mg/dl, P < 0.001). The magnitude of the hyperglycemia was linearly related to the glucose infusion rate. Elevations of fetal plasma glucose and glucose infusion rate were associated with a significant fall in fetal arterial oxygen content (P < 0.001). In twin preparations studied, these relationships remained when the simultaneously sampled, noninfused twin was used as control. The fetal glucose-induced hypoxemia was not associated with fetal acidosis (tissue hypoxia) until the arterial oxygen content fell below 30% of baseline (mean base deficit in acidotic fetuses = 11.2 +-2.2 meq/liter). Although Paoz fell in hypoxemic fetuses (from 13.5 + 1.2 mmHg to 9.7 f 1.2 mmHg), the difference was not significant. Fetal plasma insulin rose during hyperglycemia from 10.2 + 3.1 pU/ml to a peak concentration of 26.2 +-3.3 pU/ml, but this response was blunted in markedly hypoxemic fetuses. Neither fetal anemia nor hemoconcentration were evident in these preparations to account for the fall in fetal oxygen content.
SpeculationGlucose-induced hypoxemia may be the result of accelerated fetal and/or uteroplacental oxygen consumption. In utero hypoxemia in the fetus of the pregnant diabetic may present a unifying hypothesis linking the known clinical findings of increased fetal red blood cell production, polycythemia, and late fetal demise in fetuses of diabetic mothers.Macrosomia and hyperinsulinism are common features of the fetus of the diabetic mother (FDM), presumably stemming from chronic maternal hyperglycemia and excessive maternal-fetal glucose transfer (5, 19); however, the etiologies behind certain other features seen in the FDM, such as the increased incidences of venous polycythemia and late fetal demise (4, 11) are less evident. Experimentally induced fetal hyperglycemia has been associated with both fetal acidosis and fetal death (1,22,25). Some authors (5, 17) have suggested that chronic in utero fetal hypoxemia induced by maternal diabetes offers a unifying explanation linking excessive red blood cell production, fetal acidosis and excessive stillborn rates in this disorder; however, in at least one study, fetal lamb oxygenation during glucose infusion, as assessed by blood gas analysis, was normal despite the development of metabolic acidosis (22). With the aid of chronically catheterized singleton and twin fetal sheep, the effects of chronic isolated fetal hyperglycemia upon fetal oxygenation, insulin secretion, and fetal metabolism were explored. Because of the relatively steep oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve, fetal blood oxygen content was determined in addition to blood gas analysis to provide a better estimat...