Abstract
Summary
The fetal-maternal ratios of serum phenylalanine in the rat have been measured in the fasting state and 1, 2, and 3 hr after intravenous phenylalanine loading. Resuts indicate that fetal levels are always higher than maternal and that the fetus metabolizes the transplacental load less rapidly than its mother. This suggests that any woman with hyperphenylalaninemia who becomes pregnant should have her blood phenylalanine maintained below 8 mg/100 ml of blood at all times if the fetal brain is to remain undamaged.
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