Pregnancy blunts pulmonary vascular reactivity in dogs

Pregnancy decreases systemic vascular reactivity but comparatively little is known about the effects of pregnancy on the pulmonary circulation. Pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) during acute hypoxia was lower (P < 0.01) in eight intact anesthetized pregnant dogs compared to the same animals postpartum. Mean pulmonary arterial pressure (Ppa) and PVR during infusion of prostaglandin (PG) F2 alpha were also reduced during pregnancy. Nonpregnant female dogs (n = 5) treated with estrogen (0.001 mg x kg-1 x da-1) for 2 wk had decreased Ppa (P < 0.01) during acute hypoxia compared to control measurements, but PVR was unchanged during hypoxia and PGF2 alpha infusion. Treatment with progesterone in four dogs had no effect on pulmonary vascular reactivity to hypoxia or PGF2 alpha. Inhibition of circulating PG with meclofenamate in four dogs during pregnancy did not appear to restore pulmonary vascular reactivity. Blunted pulmonary vascular reactivity is suggested by the limited data available for women, but is not seen in pregnant cows. We conclude that pregnancy decreases pulmonary as well as systemic vascular reactivity in the dog, but the mechanism is unclear.