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The aim of this study was to investigate the regulation and function of arginine vasopressin (AVP) in pregnant sheep. The mean plasma osmolality of nonpregnant ewes (298 +/- 1.0 mosmol/kg, n = 8) was not significantly different from that of late pregnant ewes (295 +/- 1.1 mosmol/kg, n = 21). The mean resting plasma [AVP] of nonpregnant ewes (4.1 +/- 0.6 pg/ml,n = 8) was not significantly different from that of pregnant ewes (3.3 +/- 0.3 pg/ml,n = 21). In a series of dehydration experiments it was established that the slope of the function relating log [AVP] to plasma osmolality for pregnant ewes (n = 13) was not significantly different from the slope of the function relating log [AVP] to plasma osmolality for nonpregnant ewes (n = 4). When AVP was infused into water-loaded ewes, a significant decrease in urinary flow rate and free water clearance occurred at an infusion rate of 0.003 microgram/h in both the pregnant (n = 4) and nonpregnant (n = 4) animals. Both groups achieved negative free water clearance at an infusion rate of 0.01 microgram/h. These findings suggest that pregnancy does not alter the relationship between plasma osmolality and plasma [AVP] or the renal responsiveness to AVP in sheep.

1. In conscious ewes pregnancy was associated with a significantly increased heart rate and cardiac output, while mean arterial pressure (MAP) and stroke volume were unchanged. 2. The present study examines the effect of arginine vasopressin (AVP) infused at 0.3, 1, 3.0, and 10 micrograms/h, into water-loaded and sodium-depleted ewes, either non-pregnant or during the last third of gestation. 3. In the water-loaded state, MAP rose significantly at the lowest rate of infusion in both pregnant and non-pregnant ewes. Bradycardia occurred first at 0.3 micrograms/h in the pregnant ewes but not until 3.0 micrograms/h in the non-pregnant animals. 4. In sodium deficiency there was no increase in MAP at any rate of infusion in either group. Bradycardia occurred in both groups at 1 microgram/h. 5. This study shows that the pressor effects of AVP are unchanged by pregnancy. However, pregnant ewes are more sensitive to AVP-induced bradycardia when the ewes are water-loaded.

In both cows and sheep the allantoic fluid is confined to 2 sacs connected by a flattened isthmus, one in the non-pregnant horn and one in the upper part of the pregnant horn. The chorion encloses the amniotic and allantoic compartments, forming the amniochorion and chorioallantois, respectively. In the last third of gestation the compositions of both amniotic and allantoic fluids differ substantially from each other and from those of foetal urine, and maternal and foetal plasma. There is less variation in composition than in volume for a given gestational age. Abnormalities of volume are more common in cows than sheep, and hydrallantois is more common than hydramnois. Data obtained from both physiological experiments and pathological cases suggest that the foetal membranes play an important role in the regulation of composition and volume of foetal fluids. Evidence is presented that the permeability of the membranes to various solutes, as well as their capacity to produce and respond to a number of hormones, can affect the foetal fluid composition and/or volume. Progesterone, oestrogens and prolactin are some of the hormones known to affect foetal fluids. Foetal adrenal insufficiency has been associated with hydramnios implying a lack of hormones from this gland in this disease. The changes in allantoic fluid composition from normal to that closely resembling maternal/foetal extracellular fluid, in hydrallantois, suggests an alteration of membrane function as an aetiology and the continued production of fluid, after removal of the foetus in some cases, favours this hypothesis.