Blood Flow and Respiratory Gas Exchange in the Human Placenta at Term: A Data Update

Peter Vaupel, Gabriele Multhoff

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Reliable measurements using modern techniques and consensus in experimental design have enabled the assessment of novel data sets for normal maternal and foetal respiratory physiology at term. These data sets include (a) principal factors affecting placental gas transfer, e.g., maternal blood flow through the intervillous space (IVS) (500 mL/min) and foeto-placental blood flow (480 mL/min), and (b) O2, CO2 and pH levels in the materno-placental and foeto-placental circulation. According to these data, the foetus is adapted to hypoxaemic hypoxia. Despite flat oxygen partial pressure (pO2) gradients between the blood of the IVS and the umbilical arteries of the foetus, adequate O2 delivery to the foetus is maintained by the higher O2 affinity of the foetal blood, high foetal haemoglobin (HbF) concentrations, the Bohr effect, the double-Bohr effect, and high foeto-placental (=umbilical) blood flow. Again, despite flat gradients, adequate CO2 removal from the foetus is maintained by a high diffusion capacity, high foeto-placental blood flow, the Haldane effect, and the double-Haldane effect. Placental respiratory gas exchange is perfusion-limited, rather than diffusion-limited, i.e., O2 uptake depends on O2 delivery.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationAdvances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
PublisherSpringer
Pages379-384
Number of pages6
DOIs
StatePublished - 2022

Publication series

NameAdvances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
Volume1395
ISSN (Print)0065-2598
ISSN (Electronic)2214-8019

Keywords

  • Foetal haemoglobin
  • Foeto-placental blood flow
  • Haemoglobin oxygen affinity
  • Placental gas transfer

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