Central haemodynamics in normal pregnancy: a prospective longitudinal study

OBJECTIVE:To conduct a longitudinal evaluation of the central haemodynamic adaptations of normal pregnancy. METHODS:This was a prospective longitudinal study involving healthy, normotensive women who were having an uncomplicated, singleton pregnancy. Brachial and central SBP, DBP, mean arterial pressure (MAP), brachial and central pulse pressure (PP), aorta-to-brachial pulse pressure amplification (AMPA–B), heart rate (HR), augmentation index adjusted for HR (AIx75), carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) and cardiac output (CO) were measured at a mean gestational age of 14, 24 and 36 weeks. RESULTS:One hundred women were followed prospectively throughout pregnancy. Brachial and central SBP, DBP and MAP decreased slightly in early gestation, followed by a significant increase in late gestation (P