The effect of placental location on uterine artery flow velocity waveforms

We examined the effect of placental location with regard to flow velocity waveforms in the uterine arteries in 84 control and 28 hypertensive women during the third trimester of pregnancy. The ratio of systolic peak to end-diastolic frequency was obtained with a continuous-wave Doppler device and the placental location was determined by real-time ultrasonography. In both normal and hypertensive pregnancies with unilateral placental location the systolic/ diastolic ratio of the ipsilateral uterine artery was significantly lower than the contralateral artery ratio [1.73 ± 0.35 (systolic/ diastolic ratio) versus 2.46 ± 0.73, p < 0.001, and 2.38 ± 1.01 versus 4.04 ± 1.77, p = 0.0012, respectively]. The physiologic and clinical significance of this finding is discussed.