Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, Vol 13, Issue 1 43-47, Copyright © 1994 by American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Transvaginal color and pulsed Doppler study of uterine blood flow in the first and early second trimesters of pregnancy: normal versus abnormal

A. Kurjak, I. Zalud, M. Predanic and S. Kupesic
Ultrasonic Institute, Medical School, University of Zagreb, Croatia.

Transvaginal color Doppler ultrasonography was used to study 131 normal early pregnancies, 30 molar pregnancies, 20 threatened abortions, two blighted ova, and five pregnancies with intramural myoma. Four separate parts of the maternal circulation were studied: uterine, arcuate, radial, and spiral arteries. There was statistical difference in the RI and PI among uterine, arcuate, radial, and spiral arteries (P < 0.001) in all observed groups of patients except those with intramural myoma. When the same part of the maternal circulation was compared among different groups of patients, the following results reached statistical significance: uterine artery in normal and molar pregnancy (P < 0.001); arcuate artery in normal and molar pregnancy (P < 0.001); radial artery in normal and molar pregnancy (P < 0.001) and in normal pregnancy and threatened abortion (P < 0.01); spiral artery in normal and molar pregnancy (P < 0.001), in normal pregnancy and threatened abortion (P < 0.01), and in molar pregnancy and threatened abortion (P < 0.01). The standard values of blood flow are different in normal and in some cases of abnormal early pregnancy (molar pregnancy, threatened abortion).

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. Nakatsuka, T. Habara, S. Noguchi, H. Konishi, and T. Kudo Impaired Uterine Arterial Blood Flow in Pregnant Women With Recurrent Pregnancy Loss J. Ultrasound Med., January 1, 2003; 22(1): 27 - 31. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]