title: Venous liver blood flow and regulation of human fetal growth: evidence from macrosomic fetuses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Experimental studies show that fetal liver venous perfusion is a determinant for growth in utero. Here we explore the relationship between fetal venous blood flow to the liver and macrosomia.
  
  
  METHODS
  From diameter and blood flow velocity measurements, we derived liver venous blood flow in a longitudinal ultrasound study of 25 macrosomic fetuses of nondiabetic mothers during the second half of pregnancy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with appropriately growing fetuses, macrosomic fetuses directed more umbilical blood to the liver tissue, with correspondingly less contribution from the portal circulation when normalized for fetal weight. Whereas total venous liver blood flow showed no late gestation rise in the reference population, it continued to increase in macrosomic fetuses and was accompanied by greater fetal weight.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The direct relationship between venous liver blood flow and macrosomia in the fetus supports the concept that intrauterine growth is linked to the amount and distributional pattern of venous liver perfusion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Haukeland University Hospital, Norway. jorg.kessler@kk.uib.no
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kessler
authors.forename: Svein
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Godfrey
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hanson
authors.forename: Torvid
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kiserud
mesh_terms: D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000502:physiology*; D005320:Fetal Macrosomia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006503:Hepatic Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology*; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D014471:Umbilical Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology