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The impact of umbilical vein blood flow and glucose concentration on blood flow distribution to the fetal liver and systemic organs in healthy pregnancies
Author(s) -
Opheim Gun Lisbet,
Moe Holme Ane,
Blomhoff Holm Maia,
Melbye Michelsen Trond,
Muneer Zahid Saba,
Paasche Roland Marie Cecilie,
Henriksen Tore,
Haugen Guttorm
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fj.202000766r
Subject(s) - ductus venosus , fetus , blood flow , umbilical vein , medicine , placenta , endocrinology , fetal circulation , hemodynamics , pregnancy , biology , biochemistry , genetics , in vitro
Glucose is a major energy substrate for the fetus, including liver, heart, and brain metabolism. The umbilical vein (UV) blood flow supplies the fetal liver directly from the placenta, whereas a fraction is shunted via ductus venosus (DV) to the fetal systemic circulation bypassing the fetal liver. We hypothesized UV glucose concentration to be a major regulator of the distribution of glucose supply between the fetal liver and DV, and explored the influence of maternal metabolic status on this distribution. We included 124 healthy women with normal singleton pregnancies, scheduled for elective cesarean section. UV and DV blood flow measurements were performed by Doppler ultrasound immediately before, and blood samples were obtained during surgery. UV blood flow was significantly correlated with DV blood flow, liver blood flow, and the DV shunting fraction, while UV glucose concentration was not. For normal‐weight mothers, the maternal‐fetal glucose gradient was positively correlated with DV shunting fraction, and negatively with liver blood flow. For the fetuses of the overweight mothers no such correlation was found. This indicates that within the normal physiological range the human fetus makes adaptations of blood flow to ensure individual needs related to the offered maternal energy supply.