I don't think there's the same amount of vasoconstriction on the fetal side in the normal course of events. Would depend on whether there are a or b receptors in the precapillary vessels. Gail has already posted ECPC's conclusions about the possible effects of early clamping and by-passing physiological equilibration. And I have for a long time had concerns about over-transfusion of infants. Far less time than it takes to write about and certainly not really one that bothers us in the natural course of things.
Babies just start to breathe.
We only worry about it when they don't. But I still think that it's a pretty important transition in physiological terms. Please e-mail feedback about errors of fact, spelling, grammar or semantics. Permission to link to this page is hereby granted.