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Relationship Between Prepregnancy and Early Pregnancy Uterine Blood Flow and Resistance Index

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Abstract

We evaluated the relationship between prepregnancy and early pregnancy uterine blood flow (UBF) and resistance index (RI). Nineteen nulliparous participants were studied during cycle day 8 + 4, and early pregnancy (13.4 + 1.6 weeks). Color Doppler ultrasound of both uterine arteries and maternal heart was performed to calculate uterine RI, volumetric UBF, and cardiac output (CO), respectively. We observed a strong negative association of uterine RI with prepregnancy UBF (r = −.82, P < .001) that weakened, but remained significant in early pregnancy (r = −.48, P = .04). Prepregnancy uterine index (UBF/CO) was significantly associated with early pregnancy uterine index; r = .48, P = .04). There was also a trend associating prepregnancy and early pregnancy volumetric UBF (r = .44, P = .068). Prepregnancy UBF may be a determinant of early pregnancy UBF and UBF may have independent value as a predictor of adverse pregnancy outcome.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Vermont, 89 Beaumont Avenue, Burlington, Vermont, 05405, USA

    Sarah A. Hale PhD, Adrienne Schonberg RN & Ira M. Bernstein MD

  2. Medical Biostatistics, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, USA

    Gary J. Badger MS

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  1. Sarah A. Hale PhD
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  2. Adrienne Schonberg RN
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  3. Gary J. Badger MS
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  4. Ira M. Bernstein MD
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Correspondence to Ira M. Bernstein MD.

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Hale, S.A., Schonberg, A., Badger, G.J. et al. Relationship Between Prepregnancy and Early Pregnancy Uterine Blood Flow and Resistance Index. Reprod. Sci. 16, 1091–1096 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1177/1933719109341843

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