UTEROPLACENTAL HEMODYNAMIC DISTURBANCES IN ESTABLISHMENT OF FETAL GROWTH-RETARDATION IN STREPTOZOCIN-INDUCED DIABETIC RATS

This study examined the relationship between uteroplacental blood flow and fetal hypotrophy in streptozocin-induced diabetic rats (40 mg/kg body wt i.v.). Our results showed that, in diabetic rats, fetal hypotrophy was associated with a significant reduction in arterial blood velocity in the uterine artery (P < 0.001), placenta (P < 0.01), umbilical artery (P < 0.01), and fetal aorta (P < 0.05). This was not observed when diabetic rats were treated with insulin. Treatment of rats with the α1-blocking vasodilator nicergoline restored fetal growth and arterial blood velocity to control values without affecting the degree of hyperglycemia. Nicergoline in control rats did not change fetal weight and caused only minor hemodynamic changes on presumably already maximally vasodilated arteries. We concluded that the uteroplacental hemodynamic disturbances observed in diabetic rats play a minor role in the establishment of fetal growth retardation.