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Effects of Alcohol on Intrauterine Oxygen Tension in the Rat
Author(s) -
Mitchell Jerald A.,
Kainen Barbara R.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/j.1530-0277.1992.tb01382.x
Subject(s) - chemistry , saline , alcohol , oxygen tension , ethanol , oxygen , uterus , endocrinology , medicine , lumen (anatomy) , in vivo , biology , biochemistry , organic chemistry , microbiology and biotechnology
The effects of alcohol on the availability of oxygen within the uterine lumen of rats were determined on Day 4 of pseudopregnancy. Intraluminal oxygen tension (pO 2 ) was measured in vivo in anesthetized rats using a 22‐gauge polarographic oxygen sensor. Intrauterine pO 2 was measured for 15 min before and after intravenous injection of alcohol (1.0 g/kg: 100% ethanol/saline, 1:2 v/v) or vehicle (physiological saline). Alcohol administration increased mean intrauterine pO 2 (mm Hg) from a pretreatment level of 28.3 ± 2.8 to 38.7 ± 3.8 mm Hg ( p < 0.05, n = 10) at 15 min postinjection. The rapid rise in oxygen tension was accompanied by increased frequency of fluctuation (peaks/hr) in intraluminal pO 2 (prealcohol: 64.2 ± 8.8 vs. postalcohol 96.0 ± 7.7 peaks/hr; ( p < 0.05, n = 10). Injection of saline did not alter any aspect of intrauterine pO 2 . During the period of measurement of luminal pO 2 , blood alcohol levels increased from 0 during pretreatment to 106 mg% within 10 min of injection. These results indicate that alcohol increases the availability of oxygen within the uterus during the time of endometrial sensitivity to deciduogenic stimuli and blastocyst implantation.