Uterine artery impedance during the first eight postpartum weeks

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2015

Authors

Guedes-Martins, L (Author) Other; Gaio, AR (Author) FCUP; Saraiva, J (Author) Other; Cunha, A (Author) Other; Macedo, F (Author) Other; Almeida, H (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Scientific Reports

Vol. 5

Final page: 8786

ISSN: 2045-2322

Publisher: Springer Nature

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 8 Citations

Scopus - 9 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00G-27C

DOI: 10.1038/srep08786

Abstract (EN): The aim of this study was to construct reference ranges for the uterine artery (UtA) mean pulsatility (PI) and resistance (RI) indices from 1-8 weeks postpartum. A prospective, cross-sectional, and observational study was performed with 320 healthy women from week 1 through week 8 postpartum. UtAs were examined transvaginally using colour and pulsed Doppler imaging, and the means of the right and left values of the PI and RI, as well as the presence or absence of a bilateral protodiastolic notch, were recorded. The 5th, 50th and 95th reference percentile curves for the UtA-PI and UtA-RI were derived using regression models. The adjusted reference intervals uncovered a convergence trend at the week 8 time-point, although impedance was lower at the week 1 time-point in multiparous women compared with primiparous women. The notching prevalence was 22.5% (9/40) at week 1 and 95.0% (38/40) at week 8. The study revealed consistent evidence of a progressive increase of postpartum uterine impedance and provided new average UtA-PI and UtA-RI reference charts for weeks 1 through 8. Multiparity does not change the trend but does impart a lower rate of increase, likely as a consequence of previous vascular structural and functional differences.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 9