Respiratory Metabolism During Pregnancy in the Guinea Pig

Abstract

Oxygen consumption and heart rate during pregnancy were measured in untreated, thyroxin-injected and thyroidectomized guinea pigs given I131. From impregnation until parturition, oxygen consumption increased 7.9% in untreated females. The increase continued until 5 days postpartum when a sharp decrease occurred. The increase is not accounted for by growth of the fetal mass. Comparable increases occurred in thyroxin-injected (16.2%) and thyroidectomized (11.9%) females, although the levels throughout were higher and lower, respectively, than in intact females. Heart rate did not increase. On the contrary, statistically significant decreases occurred in the untreated and thyroxin-injected females. Although the mechanism associated with the increased metabolic rate is not known, the possibility of thyroid participation would seem to be excluded. Involvement of the adrenal cortex is suggested by morphological differences in the cells of the zona fasciculata in pregnant and nonpregnant females and by evidence cited from other studies.