Cardiovascular effects of fever in the ewe and fetal lamb.

Ewes carrying fetuses with permanently implanted cannulas developed fevers following intravenous injections of bacterial pyrogen (1 microng). During the rising phase of the fever, maternal heart rate increased, but no consistent changes in mean arterial blood pressure (MABP), arterial pH, PO2, or PCO2 were observed during the course of the fever. Fetal temperature, which was initially 0.3 to 0.8 degrees C. higher than maternal temperature rose in parallel with the ewe's temperature. During the maternal fever, fetal MABP, pH, PO2, and PCO2 remained unchanged, but on several occasions the fetal heart rate developed irregularities that persisted after the fever had subsided. These observations suggest that maternal fever does not appear to have adverse effects on fetal oxygenation but has a variable effect on cardiovascular function.