Pulmonary functions in pre-eclamptic women.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate certain pulmonary function tests of the pre-eclamptic women in the early postpartum period.


METHODS
Forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1s (FEV(1)) and peak expiratory flow (PEF) were measured in 13 pre-eclamptic and 15 control subjects undergoing cesarean section (C/S); and 11 pre-eclamptic and 15 control subjects undergoing vaginal delivery (VD) on the postpartum third day.


RESULTS
Pre-eclamptic women had significantly lower FVC, FEV(1) and PEF measurements than the control women (P<0.05). When the subjects were grouped according to the mode of delivery, FVC and FEV(1) values were observed to be significantly different between the pre-eclamptic and control groups undergoing C/S (P<0.05). None of these parameters were significantly different between the pre-eclamptic and control groups who had delivered vaginally (P>0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
These data indicate that certain pulmonary functions might be impaired in the early postpartum period in pre-eclamptic women undergoing C/S.
Unsal
Meftun
M
Department of Chest Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, Turkey. meftununsal@hotmail.com
Yanik
Filiz F
FF
Gürkan
Naziye
N
Katar
Didem
D
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012016:Reference Values; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests