USCOM 1A Maternal Hemodynamics New Publications
Five new global publications in maternal-fetal medicine, support USCOM 1A as the world leader for screening and diagnosis of maternal hypertension. The USCOM 1A demonstrates the haemodynamic changes of pre-eclampsia at 5-11 weeks allowing for immediate treatment rather than waiting for a routine 18-20 week blood pressure scan when the dangerous changes of hypertension are established. Hypertension complicates approximately 10% of all pregnancies world wide, and is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity for mother and child. USCOM 1A high technology evaluation early in pregnancy can change outcomes of mothers and children and makes first trimester USCOM 1A scanning a new standard of care.
Summary: USCOM 1A is a Doppler monitor device which has recently become available in clinical practice, used for a noninvasive assessment of hemodynamic parameters. Our study confirmed the correlation between PAPP-A and placental function, expressed through the determination of the pulsatility index of the uterine arteries. Moreover, we found a clear correlation between biochemical markers, placental function and maternal hemodynamics, since the first trimester of pregnancy. The inclusion of maternal hemodynamic evaluation could be useful in the screening protocols of preeclampsia. If we combine the onset of hypertensive disorders and of fetal growth restriction, the most predictive parameter is indexed total vascular resistances.
Summary: The findings of this study suggest that point of care non-invasive cardiovascular profiling using PKR and SMII may help better delineate pregnancies affected by specific placental disorders versus those exhibiting health cardiovascular adaptation to pregnancy. Pregnancies affected by HDP and/or SGA appear to exhibit distinctive profiles in PKR and SMII that reflect low kinetic energy with placental disorders, but high potential energy in pregnancies affected by HDP.
Summary: A hemodynamic maternal maladaptation to pregnancy is observed in women with GDM. This abnormal response to pregnancy reveals a predisposition to develop CVD later in life and might help in identifying patients who need a cardiovascular follow‐up. Considering that 80% of all CVD is potentially preventable with early diagnosis, lifestyle modification, and therapeutic intervention, innovative cardiovascular risk-factor screening strategies are especially important to prevent CVD in women.
Summary: Pre-labor modifications of maternal cardiovascular variables are associated with adverse perinatal outcome. However, their predictive accuracy for perinatal compromise is low, and thus their use as standalone screening test for adverse perinatal outcome in singleton pregnancies at term is not supported.
Summary: Evaluation of UV flow and maternal hemodynamics helps to distinguish between SGA and FGR fetuses.