title: Fetal compromise assessed by Doppler ultrasound of venous flow in pregnancy-induced hypertension.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine the change of venous flow patterns in the inferior vena cava of fetuses in pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH). We studied 80 normal pregnant women and 46 pregnant women with PIH and their fetuses. We determined the pulsatility index (PI) for arterial vessels, the ratio of peak flow velocities in early diastole and late diastole (E/A) in atrioventricular valves, and the preload index for the inferior vena cava. Twelve of the 46 PIH women showed an umbilical artery PI higher than the 95th percentile in normal pregnant women. Five of them demonstrated a decreased middle cerebral artery PI. Three of the 5 had an increased mitral E/A. Two of them had a decreased tricuspid E/A, an increased preload index, and a poor prognosis. An increased preload index suggests severe compromise in fetuses with a redistribution of arterial and intracardiac blood flow.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ehime University School of Medicine, Shitsukawa, Shigenobu, Ehime, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ochi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsubara
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kusanagi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Furutani
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Katayama
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ito
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D005260:Female; D005316:Fetal Distress / Q000209:etiology; D005333:Fetus / Q000098:blood supply*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011379:Prognosis; D011673:Pulsatile Flow; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D014682:Vena Cava, Inferior / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000196:embryology* / Q000503:physiopathology