Placental compliance--inferences from Doppler studies of umbilical blood flow during cardiac arrhythmia.
Pulsed Doppler ultrasound was used to investigate human umbilical artery blood flow patterns in three fetuses where cardiac arrhythmias were present, viz., congenital bradycardia, multiple extrasystoles and 'dropped beats'. The impedance to blood flow along these arteries was assessed by the pulsatility index. The results suggest that the placental vascular bed on the fetal side has a high compliance.
Erskine
L
L
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Royal Maternity Hospital, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000151:congenital / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000151:congenital / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006340:Heart Rate, Fetal; D006801:Humans; D010920:Placenta / Q000098:blood supply*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014469:Umbilical Arteries / Q000502:physiology*