A Comparative Study of Physiological Variations in Pulmonary Function Tests during Pregnancy

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Introduction: Pregnancy is principally a phenomenon of maternal adaptation to the increasing demands of the growing fetus. Pregnancy causes many visible and invisible changes in human body and it represents one of the best examples of selective adaptation in terms of respiratory Materials and Methods: The study consists of recording the Pulmonary Function Tests of 4 groups of female subjects including pregnant women of various phases of gestational period i.e., 12 weeks (I trimester), 24 weeks (II trimester ) , 36 weeks ( III trimester) and control group of non pregnant women. The different lung function parameters measured in this study were Expiratory Reserve Volume (ERV), Tidal Volume (TV), Vital Capacity (VC), Residual Volume (RV) & Minute Ventilation(MV), PEFR � Peak Expiratory Flow Rate, FVC � Forced Vital Capacity FEV1 � Forced Expiratory Volume in one second. Results: We observed a statistically significant decrease in Expiratory Reserve Volume, Residual Volume and a significant increase in Tidal Volume, Minute Volume & Vital Capacity remains unchanged in different trimesters of pregnancy. Conclusion: From the results of our study it can be concluded that significant changes in pulmonary physiology occur during pregnancy which are necessary to meet the increased metabolic demands of the mother and fetus.The changes in Pulmonary Functions are helpful in the prevention of gestational complications associated with inadequate maternal resiratory adaptation pulmonary Function Tests