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Blood flow Doppler velocimetry measured during active labor

  • Maternal-Fetal Medicine
  • Published:
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate blood flow Doppler velocimetry during the first and second stages of active labor.

Methods

A prospective observational study was performed. Patients at term (37–42 weeks gestation), with normal fetal heart rate tracing patterns (categorized as category I) were examined during the first and second stages of labor. The sonographic parameters that were measured included the blood flow resistance of the maternal uterine artery (UtA) and umbilical artery (UA). Wilcoxon-matched pair test was used for the comparison of flows between the first and the second stages of labor.

Results

UtA and UA Doppler velocimetry measurements were obtained from 31 parturients. The left (LT) and right (RT) UtA pulsatility index (PI) was lower in the second stage of labor as compared with the first stage. However, only the LT side reached a statistically significant difference (0.88 ± 0.32 and 0.73 ± 0.18; P = 0.005). Compared with the first stage of labor, UA PI was significantly higher during the second stage of labor (0.72 ± 0.17 vs. 0.84 ± 0.33; respectively, P = 0.05).

Conclusion

Significant blood flow resistance changes in maternal as well as in fetal blood vessels occur during the second stage as compared with the first stage of active labor.

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Conflict of interest

The authors report no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Soroka University Medical Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, POB 151, 84101, Beer-Sheba, Israel

    Joel Baron, Polina Shwarzman, Eyal Sheiner, Adi Y. Weintraub, Efrat Spiegel, Yael Sciaky, Doron Dukler & Reli Hershkovitz

Authors
  1. Joel Baron
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  2. Polina Shwarzman
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  3. Eyal Sheiner
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  4. Adi Y. Weintraub
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  5. Efrat Spiegel
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  6. Yael Sciaky
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  7. Doron Dukler
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  8. Reli Hershkovitz
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Eyal Sheiner.

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Baron, J., Shwarzman, P., Sheiner, E. et al. Blood flow Doppler velocimetry measured during active labor. Arch Gynecol Obstet 291, 837–840 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-014-3489-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-014-3489-9

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