Venous and Volume Factors in Women During and After Normotensive Pregnancy

Venous compliance and plasma volume were measured in thirty-one continuously normotensive women early (11-20 weeks) and late (31-40 weeks) in pregnancy and following delivery. 2. Mathematically fitted pressure/volume curves, obtained by venous occlusion plethysmography, were analysed according to two describing functions (i) the peak of the first derivative dv/dp max and (ii) a work index, integral of 25 (10) p dv. 3. The relationship between venous/volume factors seen after delivery, was disturbed during pregnancy, at which time the work index provided evidence for decreased venous compliance. 4. Pregnancy could be regarded as a potentially hypertensive state, brought about by a vascular/volume mismatch.