We hypothesized that chronic hypoxia disrupts mitochondrial function via oxidative stress in fetal organs. Pregnant guinea pig sows were exposed to either normoxia or hypoxia (10.5% O2, 14 days) in the presence or absence of the antioxidant, N-acetylcysteine (NAC). Near-term anesthetized fetuses were delivered via hysterotomy, and fetal livers, hearts, lungs, and forebrains harvested. We quanti...

Empirical studies have shown that fetal growth and activity can be affected by several risk factors, such as maternal anxiety, depression and tobacco or alcohol consumption. Caffeine intake has received less attention in the literature, as well as the analysis of the mutual interplay of the range of such risk factors. This study aimed to examine effects of mother's coffee intake and associated ...

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity in the guinea pig fetal-placental unit was assessed at the different oxygen tensions found in utero, during labor, and at birth. To determine fetal-placental ACE activity, we separately perfused in situ term guinea pig fetuses and their placentas via the umbilical vessels under controlled conditions of flow, temperature, and pH. ACE activity was defi...

BACKGROUND   Maternal perception of decreased fetal movements has been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, including stillbirth. Little is known about other aspects of perceived fetal activity. The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between maternal perception of fetal activity and late stillbirth (≥28 wk gestation) risk. METHODS   Participants were women with a s...

The study of embryonic and fetal activity is not new. Its roots stretch far back into biological history, but no review of the earlier work can be given here, nor is it necessary. Leonard Carmichael6 of Brown University has presented such a review in the second chapter of the revised second edition of A Handbook of Child Psychology. Though, in the treatment of certain controversial points and i...