Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Correlations between plasma ACTH concentrations and breathing movements in foetal sheep

Abstract

BREATHING movements in utero are a normal accompaniment of foetal life1–3. Dawes et al.3 reported an instance of reduced foetal breathing in a sheep with spontaneously occurring foetal hypoxaemia. Subsequent observations have shown similar reductions associated with foetal hypoglycaemia, infection, and maternally administered hypoxaemia. In addition they are influenced by hypercapnia, temperature and time of day4. In human pregnancy reduced foetal breathing is associated with maternal hypertension and foetal growth retardation5. Thus breathing movements have been used as an index of foetal health. The concentration of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) in the plasma of foetal sheep increases during hypoxaemia, haemorrhage and catecholamine infusion (refs 6–8 and C. T. J., K. B., J. G. Ratcliffe and J. S. R., unpublished observations) and may therefore reflect foetal condition. At present blood gas values, pH and heart rate are used as indices of foetal health in utero in animals and man. But we have observed a wide variation in plasma ACTH concentration and foetal breathing movements in foetal sheep in utero in circumstances in which blood gas values, arterial pH and heart rate were in the normal range. The present report describes a close correlation between the amount of foetal breathing and the foetal plasma ACTH concentration.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Dawes, G. S., Fox, H. E., Leduc, B. M., Liggins, G. C., and Richards, R. T., J. Physiol. Lond., 210, 47 (1970).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Merlet, C., Hoerter, J., Derieleneuve, C., and Tchobroutsky, C., C. r. hebd. Séanc. Acad. Sci., Paris, 270, 2462 (1970).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Dawes, G. S., Fox, H. E., Leduc, B. M., Liggins, G. C., and Richards, R. T., J. Physiol. Lond., 220, 119 (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Dawes, G. S., in Foetal and Neonatal Physiology, 49 (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1973).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Boddy, K., and Mantell, C., J. Physiol. Lond., 231, 105 (1973).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Boddy, K., Jones, C. T., Mantell, C., Ratcliffe, J. G., and Robinson, J. S., Endocrinology, 94, 588 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Jones, C. T., and Robinson, R. O., J. Physiol. Lond. (in the press).

  8. Ganong, W. F., in Advances in Neuroendocrinology (edit. by Nalbandov, A. V.), 92 (University of Illinois Press, Urbana, 1963).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Bernard, C. G., and Meyerson, B. A., in Foetal and Neonatal Physiology, 1 (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1973).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Alexander, D. P., Britton, H. G., Forsling, M. L., Nixon, D. A., and Ratcliffe, J. G., in The Endocrinology of Pregnancy and Parturition, 112 (Alpha Omega Publishing, Cardiff, 1973).

    Google Scholar 

  11. Takebe, K., Setaishi, C., Hirama, M., Yaimmoto, M., and Horiuciti, Y., J. clin. Endocr., 26, 437 (1966).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Nakai, Y., Imura, H., Yoshimi, T., and Matsukura, S., Acta Endocr., 74, 263 (1973).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Madill, D., and Bassett, J. M., J. Endocr., 58, 75 (1973).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

BODDY, K., JONES, C. & ROBINSON, J. Correlations between plasma ACTH concentrations and breathing movements in foetal sheep. Nature 250, 75–76 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1038/250075a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/250075a0

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing