Open AccessBlood flow measurements in the fetal descending aorta: Technique and Clinics
Author(s) -
Tonge H. M.,
Struijk P. C.,
Wladimiroff J. W.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
clinical cardiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.263
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1932-8737
pISSN - 0160-9289
DOI - 10.1002/clc.4960070602
Subject(s) - medicine , fetus , blood flow , fetal circulation , descending aorta , cardiology , hemodynamics , ultrasound , fetal heart , circulatory system , vascular resistance , aorta , gestational age , pregnancy , radiology , placenta , genetics , biology
A combination of two‐dimensional and realtime pulsed‐Doppler ultrasound provides a noninvasive method of measuring human fetal blood flow without side effects. By not altering the physiological conditions of the fetus, it minimizes external stimuli that might affect blood flow. However, due to the inaccessibility of the vessels under investigation, errors from the ultrasound technique arise and these are still being assessed. Studies of fetal blood flow suggest that the fetal circulation has a low peripheral resistance and that the increase in blood flow found with increasing gestational age is due predominantly to the increase in the actual dimensions of the fetal vasculature. Investigations in abnormal pregnancies, such as small‐for‐dates and those with cardiac arrhythmias have shown that the fetal cardiovascular system is capable of compensating efficiently to maintain normal physiological conditions, but only within the limits defined by the Frank Starling mechanism.