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. 2015 Nov 18;8(7):172-8.
doi: 10.5539/gjhs.v8n7p172.

Preterm Birth Prevention: Effects of Vaginal Progesterone Administration on Blood Flow Impedance in Uterine-Fetal Circulation by Doppler Sonography

Homeira Vafaei  1 , Tarlan Zamanpour, Hadi Raeisi Shahraki
Affiliations

Preterm Birth Prevention: Effects of Vaginal Progesterone Administration on Blood Flow Impedance in Uterine-Fetal Circulation by Doppler Sonography

Homeira Vafaei et al. Glob J Health Sci. .

Abstract

Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of vaginal progesterone administration on maternal and fetal circulation to prevent preterm birth.

Methods: The present prospective study was conducted on 35 women with singleton pregnancy at 18-33 weeks of gestation, who presented with at least one episode of preterm labor or asymptomatic short cervix, or past medical history of preterm birth. Doppler flow and Pulsatility Index (PI) assessment of the umbilical artery, fetal middle cerebral artery, uterine arteries, and ductusvenosus were performed before and 72 h after vaginal progesterone administration.

Results: Results showed a significant reduction in the PI of the uterine artery following progesterone administration. Nevertheless, no significant changes were observed in the PI of other vessels. No significant difference was found in Doppler flow parameters in any of the examined vessels before or after progesterone treatment in women with Preterm Labor Pain (PLP). Yet, a statistically significant association was observed between short cervix complication in the current pregnancy and medical history of PLP in the previous pregnancy.

Conclusion: Treatment with vaginal progesterone reduced the PI in the uterine arteries in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Thus, this medication may have useful vasodilatory effects on uterine-fetal vessels.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests regarding the publication of this paper.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Correlation of pulsatility index in the umbilical artery (A), fetal middle cerebral artery (B), uterine artery (C) and ductusvenosus (D) before and after maternal progesterone treatment
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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