[Metabolic effects of maternal hyperventilation in obstetrical anaesthesia induction (author's transl)]

Apparative hyperventilation before intubation brings about a favourable blood gas situation, but also a bicarbonate shortage, causing metabolic acidosis with increase of blood lactate and pyruvate. In obstetrics a mother-fetus infusion of lactate can occur, which can produce fetal distress. Because of the relative immaturity of the enzyme systems in the newborn, degradation of the infused lactate proceeds very slowly. These children recover only gradually over a period of several hours. For this reason it appears advisable to hyperventilate only briefly before a quick obstetrical intubation.