Body temperatures of lambs and their mothers measured by radio-telemetry during parturition

H P Laburn; K Goelst; D Mitchell

doi:10.1007/BF01919367

Body temperatures of lambs and their mothers measured by radio-telemetry during parturition

Experientia. 1994 Aug 15;50(8):708-11. doi: 10.1007/BF01919367.

Authors

H P Laburn¹, K Goelst, D Mitchell

Affiliation

¹ Department of Physiology, University of the Witwatersrand Medical School, Parktown, South Africa.

PMID: 8070529
DOI: 10.1007/BF01919367

Abstract

Using temperature-sensitive radio-telemeters chronically implanted in the abdomens of 8 fetal lambs and their mothers, we measured body temperature changes induced by parturition. Maternal body temperature rose at 0.70 +/- 0.06 degrees C/hour (mean +/- SEM) in the final stages of labour. Fetal body temperature also rose, but at a significantly lower rate, 0.45 +/- 0.06 degrees C/hour (p < 0.05). The fetus appears to be protected from excessive hyperthermia during the birth process.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Abdomen
Animals
Animals, Newborn
Body Temperature*
Embryonic and Fetal Development
Female
Fetus / physiology*
Labor, Obstetric / physiology*
Pregnancy
Radio
Sheep
Telemetry / methods*