Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, Vol 5, Issue 3 131-136, Copyright © 1986 by American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
Chronic maternal cigarette smoking and fetal abdominal aortic blood flow in humans
M. W. Eldridge, W. Berman Jr and E. R. Greene
The abdominal aortic blood flow was measured in 19 fetuses of nonsmoking
mothers (NS) and five fetuses of smoking mothers (S) who consumed over 10
cigarettes per day throughout gestation. Serial blood flow measurements
beginning in the mid-second trimester to term were made noninvasively with
an ultrasonic duplex scanner. Biparietal and transverse abdominal diameters
were used to estimate gestational age and fetal weight. Blood velocity
spectral waveforms and lumen diameters were used to calculate blood flow
(Q, ml/min) and weight normalized blood flow (Q/kg, ml/kg/min). Both Q and
Q/kg for the two groups were significantly different by analysis of
variance throughout the periods of observation. Third trimester Q and Q/kg
(+/- SD) in the S group (738 +/- 20 ml/min and 278 +/- 36 ml/kg/min) were
significantly higher (P less than 0.01) than values in the NS group (522
+/- 60 ml/min and 180 +/- 24 ml/kg/min). A redistribution of blood flow to
the placenta resulting from an increase in fetal systemic vascular
resistance is postulated.
