title: Epidural analgesia and its effect on umbilical artery flow velocity waveform patterns in uncomplicated labour and labour complicated by pregnancy-induced hypertension.
abstract: Umbilical artery flow velocity waveforms were obtained using continuous-wave Doppler ultrasound to examine the effect of epidural analgesia on peak systolic/least diastolic ratio (A/B ratio) in 38 women in uncomplicated labour, and 12 women with pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH). In the uncomplicated group there was no significant change in A/B ratio after epidural analgesia, but in the PIH group there was significant correlation between the fall in mean blood pressure and the fall in A/B ratio at 30 min after induction of epidural analgesia (r = 0.85, p less than 0.001). This suggests that epidural analgesia in PIH is associated with a reduction in placental resistance and may be beneficial to the fetus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, Scotland.
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Mires
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dempster
authors.forename: N B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D015360:Analgesia, Epidural / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006340:Heart Rate, Fetal / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007743:Labor, Obstetric; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D014465:Ultrasonics; D014469:Umbilical Arteries / Q000187:drug effects*