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School of Physiology and Phyrmacology, University of New South Wales, K.Gibson@unsw.edu.au

1. In nine chronically catheterized fetuses in which all lung liquid was drained continuously from the time of surgery, the effects of continuous drainage of fetal urine for 1 week on fetal renal function, lung liquid production and salt and water balance were studied. Fetal wellbeing, as judged by fetal growth, urinary osmolality, blood gas status, arterial pressure and heart rate, was not adversely affected by urine drainage. The ewes, however, drank more water when fetal urine was drained. Thus. fetal plasma and urinary osmolalities declined (P < 0.25 and P < 0.05). 2. Fetal glomerular filtration rate fell from 75 +/- 4 ml kg-1 h-1 (+/- S.E.M., n = 9) before drainage to 54 +/- 7 ml kg-1 h-1 after drainage (n = 7; P < 0.005), and fetal renal sodium excretion also declined (P < 0.05). However, the excretion of sodium in lung liquid did not decrease and the fetal renin-angiotensin system was not activated. Fetal extracellular volume (561 +/- 44 ml kg-1, n = 7) and the calculated net sodium transfer (0.76 mmol kg-1 h-1, n = 6) and fluid transfer (15 +/- 2 ml kg-1 h-1, n = 8) to the fetus did not change. 3. It is concluded that overall fetal salt and water balance were maintained when all fetal urine and lung liquid were drained from fetal sheep in late gestation. Since drainage of urine and lung liquid considerably reduced the amniotic and allantoic fluids, transfer across the placenta and extraplacental membranes was able to compensate for the absence of these fluids. In response to the loss of sodium during drainage, fetal renal sodium conservation was about 11% of the total sodium conservation by the materno-fetal unit.