Figure 2. Fetal heart rate (FHR, beats min ⁻¹ (bpm)) and mean arterial pressure (MAP, mmHg) during three successive 1 min complete umbilical cord occlusions, repeated every 5 min in a near‐term fetal sheep (0.85 of gestation) .

The periods of occlusion are shown in grey. Note that the major actively mediated increase in MAP is delayed until after the onset of decelerations. Additionally the release of occlusion is not associated with the development of hypotension below baseline levels. The first occlusion shown here is the 18th in a series of 49 occlusions; at this time arterial pH was 7.358, with a lactate of 1.6 mmol l⁻¹. Data are 1 s averages.