Subject(s)
Hemodynamics/physiology , Hypertension/diagnostic imaging , Image Processing, Computer-Assisted/instrumentation , Maternal-Fetal Exchange/physiology , Pre-Eclampsia/diagnostic imaging , Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular/diagnostic imaging , Pregnancy in Diabetics/diagnostic imaging , Ultrasonography, Prenatal/instrumentation , Arteries/diagnostic imaging , Arteries/physiopathology , Blood Flow Velocity/physiology , Chorionic Villi/blood supply , Female , Humans , Hypertension/physiopathology , Infant, Newborn , Pre-Eclampsia/physiopathology , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular/physiopathology , Pregnancy in Diabetics/physiopathology , Umbilical Arteries/diagnostic imaging , Umbilical Arteries/physiopathology , Uterus/blood supplyABSTRACT
The maturation of the fetal lungs that is to say the adequate production of surfactant in the fetal alveoles as it is well known, reaches to its end about the 35.-36.th week of gestation. That can be proved by the measurement of the phospholipides in the amniotic fluid L/S ratio (Gluck). In order to find signs of lung maturity by ultrasound we studied fetuses between 25-42th week of gestation. Using an oblique coronal longitudinal scan through the fetal thorax and abdomen the right hemidiaphragm and subjacent liver could be seen. With increasing fetal maturity (32.-35.th week of gestation) lung reflectivity became greater than liver reflectivity at equivalent parts of the ultrasonic beam. After the 36th week of gestation, lung reflectivity was nearly always greater than liver reflectivity as possible sign of fetal lung maturity.
Subject(s)
Fetal Organ Maturity , Lung/pathology , Pregnancy Trimester, Third , Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn/pathology , Ultrasonography/methods , Female , Gestational Age , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Liver/pathology , Pregnancy , RiskABSTRACT
In the first half of pregnancy ultrasound investigations was made on women with known gestational age by regular menstruation or conception. In 221 cases of single pregnancies fetal crownrump length was measured. Biparietal cephalometry was performed in 198 single fetuses. All examinations were done with a Kranzbühler Linearscanner using an ADR 3.5 MHZ transducer. Growth curves and the velocity of growth from biparietal diameter and from crown-rump length were determined and compared. The accuracy of the estimation of gestational age was observed to be +/- 10 days (2 SD) with both methods. A difference in accuracy could not be found. Even if the first half of pregnancy was separated in an early and a late part there wasn't any improvement of accuracy.
Subject(s)
Cephalometry/methods , Embryonic and Fetal Development , Gestational Age , Female , Humans , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Trimester, First , Pregnancy Trimester, SecondABSTRACT
By the pulsed doppler method the arterial uterine blood velocity was studied in 19 patients with contractions before and during labour. It is shown, that uterine contractions reduce blood velocity significantly. Normally there is a low resistance in uterine arteries, so that the diastolic flow is nearly as high as the systolic flow. In uterine contractions the vascular resistance increases. Systolic flow is reduced slightly and diastolic flow severely or completely. But a complete zero-flow couldn't observed in any studied uterine contraction.
Subject(s)
Labor, Obstetric , Ultrasonics , Uterus/blood supply , Arteries/physiology , Female , Humans , Pregnancy , Regional Blood Flow , Uterine ContractionABSTRACT
Using ultrasonography we were able to identify prenatally an intrauterine cystic tumour next to a foetus at 22 weeks of gestation, which was later diagnosed as a cystic lymphangioma of the foetal neck.
Subject(s)
Fetal Diseases/diagnosis , Head and Neck Neoplasms/diagnosis , Lymphangioma/diagnosis , Prenatal Diagnosis , Abortion, Therapeutic , Adult , Female , Humans , Pregnancy , UltrasonographyABSTRACT
Ultrasonography is of great importance for the prenatal diagnosis of fetal malformations and abnormalities. An early diagnosis in the second trimester is of great interest for an intrauterine or an extrauterine therapy planning (the choice of the time and mode of delivery). Defects of the neural tube including hydrocephalus, malformations of the extremities, the gastrointestinal tract, omphaloceles, the urogenital and cardiac system are described. Four cases of fetal malformations are presented: fetal myelomeningocele, hydrocephalus, bilateral hydronephrosis and lymphangioma with fetal ascites.
Subject(s)
Congenital Abnormalities/diagnosis , Fetal Diseases/diagnosis , Ultrasonography , Anencephaly/diagnosis , Ascites/diagnosis , Dwarfism/diagnosis , Female , Fetal Growth Retardation/diagnosis , Fetus , Heart Defects, Congenital/diagnosis , Hernia, Umbilical/diagnosis , Humans , Hydrocephalus/diagnosis , Hydronephrosis/diagnosis , Infant, Newborn , Kidney Diseases, Cystic/diagnosis , Pregnancy , Prenatal Diagnosis , Spina Bifida Occulta/diagnosis , Thorax/abnormalitiesABSTRACT
Fetal blood flow volume was measured non-invasively by means of a pulsed Doppler instrument in 35 patients between the 30th and 41st week of gestation. In the descending fetal aorta the mean blood flow volume was 230 +/- 44 ml/min/kg, in the umbilical vein 121 +/- 27 ml/min/kg. The relatively large range of the individual variations from the mean value (up to almost 20%) was due to 1/2 to the determination of the vessel diameter and to 1/2 to the Doppler measurement itself. The investigations performed show that the Doppler technique permits a rough quantitative statement about fetal blood flow volume. However, the relative large range of variation does not allow a clinical assessment, to date.
