Erythrocyte membrane function in intrauterine fetal hypoxia

: Studies of the structural changes of erythrocytic phospholipids and their free-radical oxidation in health and intrauterine hypoxia in 61 parturients and their fetuses have shown that, despite a variety of causes of intrauterine hypoxia, the structural changes of fetal red cells are virtually the same and present as enlarged crystals and more marked crystallization of the phospholipid layer of the membrane. These structural changes occur in the presence of lipid peroxidation activation and antioxidant system insufficiency.