title: New doppler technique for assessing uteroplacental blood flow.
abstract: Gated, pulsed, doppler ultrasound was used to study blood flow velocity profiles in the uterine vessels (arcuate arteries) during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. A frequency index profile nomogram was constructed from 30 normal pregnancies; this demonstrated high diastolic velocity and low pulsatility. Among 31 pregnancies with complications 14 showed waveform changes suggesting raised vascular resistance; these pregnancies were complicated with a high frequency of proteinuric hypertension, poor fetal growth, and fetal hypoxia. This non-invasive technique may give early warning of impaired uteroplacental perfusion and can be used to evaluate methods of improving uterine blood flow.
mesh_terms: D004301:Doppler Effect; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010920:Placenta / Q000098:blood supply*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014599:Uterus / Q000098:blood supply*