Objective:We longitudinally examined the changes of brachial to ankle distensibility using pulse wave velocity (PWV)-throughout pregnancy and its difference between normal pregnancy and pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) groups. Study design:One hundred and eighty-three pregnant women were included in this study. The PWV examinations were performed in a longitudinal way during the first,second,and third trimesters of pregnancy,and immediately and 1 month after delivery. Results:In normal pregnancies,the PWV significantly decreased at the second trimester,increased from the third trimester through immediately after delivery,and decreased again at 1 month after delivery. In PIH patients,it increased in proportion to the progression of gestation. Conclusion:We monitored the longitudinal changes in PWV and constructed a PWV normogram during pregnancy. The predictive value of PWV and blood pressurefor PIH was higher than that of blood pressure alone,suggesting the usefulness of measuring PWV to predict PIH.
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