Based on numerous studies, it seems that increased blood flow is an important, if not the primary, mechanism of increased transplacental exchange throughout gestation (Meschia, 1983; Reynoldset al.1986; Metcalfeet al.1988; Ferrell, 1989). For example, in cattle oxygen extraction by the gravid uterus increases only 0.4-fold, whereas uterine blood flow increases approximately 4.5-fold from mid- to late gestation. Thus, increased uterine blood flow accounts for most of the 5- to 6-fold increase in total gravid uterine oxygen uptake. The 16-fold increase in oxygen uptake of the bovine fetus from mid- to late gestation also can be accounted for primarily by the increased rate of umbilical blood flow (Reynoldset al. 1986). Similarly in sheep, gravid uterine oxygen extraction increases approximately 0.4-fold from mid- to late gestation, whereas uterine blood flow increases approximately 3-fold (Meschia, 1983). Furthermore, the large increases in gravid uterine and fetal uptakes of glucose, lactate, and amino acid nitrogen from mid- to late gestation in cattle seem to depend primarily on large increases in uterine and umbilical blood flows because the arterio-venous concentration differences for these nutrients remain relatively constant (Reynoldset al. 1986; Reynolds & Redmer, 1995).