Key result
Braxton Hicks contractions linked to ~61% higher uterine artery pulsatility index.
Why the study?
The influence of Braxton Hicks' contractions on uterine artery flow velocity waveforms and uteroplacental blood flow resistance was not well characterized.
Do Braxton Hicks' contractions alter uterine artery pulsatility index in healthy near-term pregnant women?
Observational (n=16)
Do Braxton Hicks' contractions alter uterine artery pulsatility index in healthy near-term pregnant women?
Braxton Hicks' contractions significantly increase resistance to blood flow in the uteroplacental circulation, as evidenced by increased pulsatility index.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
May confound uterine artery Doppler interpretation during contractions; leaves open effects on placental perfusion or fetal outcomes.
Pulsed-wave Doppler ultrasound was used to evaluate the influence of Braxton Hicks' contractions on flow velocity waveforms in the uterine arteries. Flow velocity waveforms were obtained from a standardized site, at the crossing of the uterine artery with the external iliac artery near the uterine wall. Doppler signals were recorded in 16 healthy near-term nulliparous pregnant women. During Braxton Hicks' contractions, a considerable increase in pulsatility index (PI) was found in the uterine arteries increasing from 0.71 +/- 0.21 (mean +/- SD) to 1.14 +/- 0.67 (p < 0.005). Maternal heart rate decreased slightly but significantly during contractions. Despite the high PI values that were found during Braxton Hicks' contractions, a diastolic notch in the flow velocity waveform was never noticed. The findings indicate that during Braxton Hicks' contractions, resistance to blood flow in the uteroplacental circulation is considerably increased.
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Oosterhof et al. (2010) conducted an observational in Healthy near-term pregnancy (n=16). Braxton Hicks' contractions vs. Baseline (absence of contractions) was evaluated on Pulsatility index (PI) in the uterine arteries (p=<0.005). Braxton Hicks' contractions significantly increased the pulsatility index in the uterine arteries from 0.71 to 1.14 (p < 0.005), indicating increased resistance to uteroplacental blood flow.
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