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. 2016 Jun 1;16(1):128.
doi: 10.1186/s12884-016-0918-8.

Bioimpedance cardiography in pregnancy: A longitudinal cohort study on hemodynamic pattern and outcome

Martin Andreas  1 , Lorenz Kuessel  2 , Stefan P Kastl  3 , Stefan Wirth  2 , Kathrin Gruber  4 , Franziska Rhomberg  3 , Fatemeh A Gomari-Grisar  3 , Maximilian Franz  2 , Harald Zeisler  2 , Michael Gottsauner-Wolf  3
Affiliations

Bioimpedance cardiography in pregnancy: A longitudinal cohort study on hemodynamic pattern and outcome

Martin Andreas et al. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. .

Abstract

Background: Pregnancy associated cardiovascular pathologies have a significant impact on outcome for mother and child. Bioimpedance cardiography may provide additional outcome-relevant information early in pregnancy and may also be used as a predictive instrument for pregnancy-associated diseases.

Methods: We performed a prospective longitudinal cohort trial in an outpatient setting and included 242 pregnant women. Cardiac output and concomitant hemodynamic data were recorded from 11(th)-13(th) week of gestation every 5(th) week as well as at two occasions post partum employing bioimpedance cardiography.

Results: Cardiac output increased during pregnancy and peaked early in the third trimester. A higher heart rate and a decreased systemic vascular resistance were accountable for the observed changes. Women who had a pregnancy-associated disease during a previous pregnancy or developed hypertension or preeclampsia had a significantly increased cardiac output early in pregnancy. Furthermore, an effect of cardiac output on birthweight was found in healthy pregnancies and could be confirmed with multiple linear regression analysis.

Conclusions: Cardiovascular adaptation during pregnancy is characterized by distinct pattern described herein. These may be altered in women at risk for preeclampsia or reduced birthweigth. The assessment of cardiac parameters by bioimpedance cardiography could be performed at low costs without additional risks.

Keywords: Eclampsia; HELLP; High-risk pregnancy; Hypertension in pregnancy; Preeclampsia.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flowchart of studied patient groups
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Cardiac output during healthy pregnancy (n = 128). Caption: CO: cardiac output; blue: supine position; green: side position; *: p < 0.05; pp: post-partum
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Hemodynamic parameters in healthy pregnancy (n = 128). Caption: a) CO: cardiac output; SVR: systemic vascular resistance; b) blood pressure; pp: post-partum
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Cardiac output in healthy women and patients during pregnancy. Caption: a) Patients with previous pregnancy associated hypertension or preeclampsia (blue) compared to healthy women (green); b) patients developing hypertension during the current pregnancy (blue) compared to healthy women (green); c) patients developing preeclampsia (blue) compared to healthy women (green); CO: cardiac output; pp: post-partum
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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