Why does blood's oxygen saturation decrease more dramatically in a fetus than in a mother when pH levels drop due to increased lactic acid production during strenuous activity?

💡 Explanation

Fetal hemoglobin (HbF) has a higher affinity for oxygen because it binds 2,3-BPG less avidly than adult hemoglobin (HbA), therefore, as the Bohr effect shifts the oxygen dissociation curve to the right due to decreased pH, HbF releases less oxygen than HbA rather than experiencing equal oxygen release.

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