The effect of prenatal hypoxic stress on the cardiac contractile function and responsiveness to calcium was studied in rats during the perinatal period. Pregnant rats were exposed to intermittent high altitude hypoxia from day 14 to 18 of pregnancy. Foetal hearts (prenatal day 22) and the hearts of offsprings (days 1, 4 and 7) were isolated and perfused in the Langendorff mode. Developed force of contraction (DF) as well as the rate of force development and fall were measured a) at the Ca2+ concentration of 1.25 mmol.l-1, b) under increasing Ca2+ concentration (from 0.6 to 10.0 mmol.l-1). Body and heart weights were significantly smaller in hypoxic than in matched control rats starting from day 1. The contractile performance of hypoxic hearts did not differ from controls. Their inotropic response to increasing Ca2+ concentrations was, however, significantly reduced on prenatal day 22 and postnatal day 7. Our results suggest that prenatal maternal hypoxia affects the cardiac inotropic responsiveness to Ca2+ even postnatally.