Aim To investigate the effects of fetal intrauterine chromic hypoxia on the vascular endothelial function of adult offspring rats,and its relation to gender,hyperlipemia,and adult hypoxia. Methods Four factorial experiment was designed to explore the role of fetal intrauterine chromic hypoxia,gender,hyperlipemia,and adult hypoxia on endothelial dependent diastolic function.Four animal models of intrauterine chromic hypoxia,hyperlipemia and adult hypoxia were established in Sprague-Dawley rats.Endothelial dependent diastolic function and histologic changes were determined in the rats offsping. Results Except the factor of gender,the other three factors of intrauterine hypoxia,hyperlipemia,and adult hypoxia resulted in an impairment of endothelial dependent diastolic function with main effects of 14.1%,14.2%,12.9%,respectively(all P><0.01).There was a positive interaction between intrauterine hypoxia and hyperlipemia on endothelial function(F=4.889,P><0.05),but no other significant interactions among these four factors.Furthermore,marked histological changes,such as edema,necrosis,and desquamation of vascular epithelium,platelet aggregation and microthrombosis,subendothelial edema and infiltration of inflammatory cells,were observed in the fetal hypoxia offspring but not in the control group. Conclusion Intrauterine chromic hypoxia can induce both functional and morphologic impairment in vascular endothelium from adult offspring rats.This effect on the impaired endothelial function was similar to hyperlipemia and adult hypoxia on that,and was enhanced with hyperlipemia.