title: Postpartum uterine artery Doppler velocimetry among patients following a delivery complicated with preeclampsia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate postpartum uterine artery (UtA) velocimetry in patients following severe preeclampsia (PET) as compared with normotensive controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Postpartum UtA velocimetry was obtained prospectively during the early postpartum period. The right and left UtA pulsatility index (PI) was measured and the presence of an early diastolic notch was noted. For categorical variables, the χ2 test or Fisher exact was used as appropriate and for continuous variables the t-test was used. The p value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-one patients following severe PET and 52 normotensive controls were included in the study. Following severe PET, higher rates of intrauterine growth restriction, cesarean delivery, preterm delivery and accordingly lower neonatal birth weight were noted. Postpartum UtA velocimetry measurements were performed on average 51.2 h after delivery (range 8-169). Right and left UtA PI was comparable between patients following severe PET and controls. The presence of unilateral and bilateral early diastolic notches were significantly higher in patients following severe PET.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The pathophysiology of uterine involution and the physiologic return of the uterine arteries to the non-pregnant state may be different following severe PET.
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Soroka University Medical Center, Faculty of Health Sciences , Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva , Israel.
authors: Adi Y
authors: AY
authors: Weintraub
authors: Barak
authors: B
authors: Aricha-Tamir
authors: Naama
authors: N
authors: Steiner
authors: Bat-El
authors: BE
authors: Hamou
authors: Joel
authors: J
authors: Baron
authors: Reli
authors: R
authors: Hershkovitz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000502:physiology*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055988:Uterine Artery / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult