Abstract 445: Monitoring the Hemodynamic Status During Three Trimesters of Pregnancy and Non-pregnancy Periods

Abstract

Pregnancy is an important stage in women and is associated with delicate cardiovascular adaptation from non-pregnancy to pregnancy. Maternal hemodynamic changes are made to provide sufficient nutrients and oxygen to support the normal growth of the developing fetus. This study was designed to assess maternal hemodynamic status during three trimesters of pregnancy and non-pregnancy periods. Total 326 women (84 pregnant women and 242 age-matched non-pregnant women of childbearing age) between the ages of 20 and 44 participated in this non-invasive observational study. In this cross-sectional study, enrolled participants underwent blood pressure and radial pressure pulse measurements. In order to compare the hemodynamic status of different subjects, we recorded the systolic and diastolic blood pressure and calculated the first five harmonic amplitudes(C1~C5) and phases(P1~P5) of radial pulse wave using Fourier transform method. Compared with non-pregnant women, the maternal systolic and diastolic blood pressures were lower, and heart rate, C2, C4, and P1 were higher in pregnant women (Table 1). Those hemodynamic changes may be due to decreased arterial stiffness and peripheral arterial vasodilatation in pregnancy. In summary, a series of changes in maternal hemodynamic status can be observed during the trimesters of pregnancy, including lowering blood pressure and increasing harmonics of radial pulse. This study demonstrates the feasibility of non-invasive monitoring of the hemodynamic status of pregnant women, which could be used for early detection of pregnancy disorder.