TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of methyldopa on uteroplacental and fetal hemodynamics in pregnancy-induced hypertension
AU - Montan, Sven
AU - Anandakumar, Chinnaiya
AU - Arulkumaran, Sabaratnam
AU - Ingemarsson, Ingemar
AU - Ratnam, Shan S.
PY - 1993
Y1 - 1993
N2 - Objective: Our purpose was to study the effect of methyldopa on uteroplacental and fetal hemodynamics in women with pregnancy-induced hypertension. Study Design: A prospective study of Doppler ultrasonographic blood flow data before and after 1 week of methyldopa treatment was conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National University Hospital, Singapore, in 20 women (mean 35 weeks' gestation) with pregnancy-induced hypertension. The main outcome measures were maternal blood pressure, maternal and fetal heart rate, and blood velocity waveforms characterized by the pulsatility index in the fetal ascending aorta, middle cerebral artery, umbilical artery, and maternal uterine and arcuate arteries. Statistical evaluation was performed with t tests for paired observations. Results: Maternal mean arterial blood pressure was reduced 9.7 mm Hg (95% confidence interval −13.8 to −5.6), and mean heart rate decreased 6.3 beats/min (95% confidence interval −11.1 to −1.4). Mean pulsatility index in the uterine (0.93 to 0.92) and arcuate arteries (0.61 to 0.73) were unchanged after treatment. Fetal hemodynamic changes before and after treatment were not significant. Fetal and neonatal outcome was uneventful. Conclusion: Short-term treatment with methyldopa in the last trimester in women with pregnancy-induced hypertension reduced maternal blood pressure and heart rate but had no adverse effects on uteroplacental and fetal hemodynamics.
AB - Objective: Our purpose was to study the effect of methyldopa on uteroplacental and fetal hemodynamics in women with pregnancy-induced hypertension. Study Design: A prospective study of Doppler ultrasonographic blood flow data before and after 1 week of methyldopa treatment was conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National University Hospital, Singapore, in 20 women (mean 35 weeks' gestation) with pregnancy-induced hypertension. The main outcome measures were maternal blood pressure, maternal and fetal heart rate, and blood velocity waveforms characterized by the pulsatility index in the fetal ascending aorta, middle cerebral artery, umbilical artery, and maternal uterine and arcuate arteries. Statistical evaluation was performed with t tests for paired observations. Results: Maternal mean arterial blood pressure was reduced 9.7 mm Hg (95% confidence interval −13.8 to −5.6), and mean heart rate decreased 6.3 beats/min (95% confidence interval −11.1 to −1.4). Mean pulsatility index in the uterine (0.93 to 0.92) and arcuate arteries (0.61 to 0.73) were unchanged after treatment. Fetal hemodynamic changes before and after treatment were not significant. Fetal and neonatal outcome was uneventful. Conclusion: Short-term treatment with methyldopa in the last trimester in women with pregnancy-induced hypertension reduced maternal blood pressure and heart rate but had no adverse effects on uteroplacental and fetal hemodynamics.
KW - blood flow
KW - Doppler ultrasonography
KW - fetal heart
KW - hypertension
KW - Methyldopa
KW - pregnancy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0027515996&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S0002-9378(12)90905-9
DO - 10.1016/S0002-9378(12)90905-9
M3 - Article
C2 - 8420318
AN - SCOPUS:0027515996
SN - 0002-9378
VL - 168
SP - 152
EP - 156
JO - American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
JF - American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
IS - 1
ER -