Uptake and distribution of continuously infused intraamniotic nutrients in fetal rabbits

Nutrient delivery via the fetal gastrointestinal tract may be a potential prenatal treatment for intrauterine growth retardation. Uptake from continuous intraamniotic infusions with nutrient incorporation into developing fetal tissues has not previously been shown. To study this, ovarian-end fetuses of 18 time-mated rabbit does underwent amniotic cavity catheterization and either esophageal ligation (EL) or sham operation (SH) on gestational day 23 (term, 33 days). Saline plus 14C D-glucose and 3H proline were infused into the amniotic fluid for 4 days. Nutrients absorbed by the EL fetus represent only those taken up into the maternal circulation and subsequently redelivered hematogenously to the fetus. Radioactivity of fetal blood and organs was determined using a liquid scintillation counter. All infused does and 10 of 18 infused fetuses (56%) survived the entire study period. In SH fetuses, uptake of 14C per mg of tissue was highest in the lung and significantly greater in the stomach, jejunum, ileum, and lung than in fetal blood (P less than .05). Uptake of 3H per mg of tissue was also highest in the lung and significantly greater than fetal blood in the stomach, small intestine, lung, and liver (P less than .05). Each organ's 14C and 3H uptake was greater in SH than in EL fetuses (P less than .001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)