Intervillous circulation in all three trimesters of normal pregnancy assessed by color Doppler
Abstract
Our cross-sectional study included 115 healthy pregnant women in gestational age between 7 and 24 weeks. The aim of the study was to compare resistance (RI) and pulsatility (PI) indices, peak systolic velocity (PSV), end-diastolic velocity, and temporal averaged maximum velocity (TAMV) of the spiral arteries and vessels within the intervillous space in all three trimesters of pregnancy. The impedance to blood flow within the intervillous space significantly decreased towards the mid-pregnancy (p < 0.01) and then remained stable. Blood flow velocities within the intervillous space expressed by PSV, EDV and TAMV increased significantly (p < 0.01) towards the mid-pregnancy. After reaching the plateau between 16 and 22 weeks of gestation, these parameters remained almost constant until the 36th gestational week. Near the term low-significant decrease of blood flow velocities was noted: for PSV and TAMV p < 0.07, and for EDV p < 0.05. A significant increase in continuous intervillous blood flow velocity was noted from the 11th week onward (28 +/- 12 vs. 36 +/- 12) until the 36th week of gestation (36 +/- 12 cm/s). The first report of the haemodynamic changes within the intervillous space during pregnancy may have implication in better understanding of the metabolical interchange between maternal and fetal side.
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Numerous attempts to directly image the spiral arteries within the myometrium have generated conflicting data.
“Numerous attempts have been made to directly image the spiral arteries within the myometrium but this has generated conflicting data [51–56].”
From Volume and vascularity: Using ultrasound to unlock the secrets of the first trimester placenta (2019) · cites this paper as [51]
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- Authors
- Kurjak, A., Dudenhausen, J. W., Hafner, T., Kupesic, S., Latin, V., & Kos, M.
- Affiliations
- University of Zagreb (HR)
- ORCID
- Kos, Milan
- Venue
- jpme
- Publisher
- Walter de Gruyter GmbH
- Published
- 1997
- Volume
- 25
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 373-380
- ISSN
- 0300-5577 (ISSN-L)
- 1619-3997
- OpenAlex
- W1975729602
- Cited by
- 42
- References
- 13
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 3 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 2.26
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Perinatal Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Obstetrics and Gynecology › Pregnancy and preeclampsia studies
- Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Reproductive System and Pregnancy
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Obstetrics and Gynecology › Maternal and Perinatal Health Interventions
- Keywords
- spiral arteries, placental blood flow, resistance index, pulsatility index, peak systolic velocity, end-diastolic velocity, gestational age, pregnancy trimesters, color Doppler ultrasound
- MeSH terms
- Chorionic Villi, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Humans, Maternal-Fetal Exchange, Microcirculation, Pregnancy, Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color
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