Transplacental transfer of propofol in pregnant ewes

Propofol is an injectable anaesthetic that is currently used both in veterinary and human medicine for the induction and maintenance of anaesthesia. Although little is known about the pharmacokinetics of propofol in fetuses, it is widely used in obstetric procedures, particularly in caesarean section. This study determines the pharmacokinetics of propofol in pregnant ewes in the last third of pregnancy, and placental transfer and pharmacokinetics in fetuses after the administration of a 6 mg/kg intravenous (i.v.) bolus (phase 1) or a 6 mg/kg i.v. bolus followed by continued infusion of 0.4 mg/kg/min. In ewes, the area under the blood concentration–time curve (AUC) and Cmax (8.6 mg h/mL and 9.5 mg/mL, respectively) was higher than those of the fetus (1.6 mg h/mL and 1.19 mg/mL, respectively). The mean half-life was 0.5 h in the dam and 1.1 h in the fetus.