Studies of the Ballistocardiogram and the Blood Capillaries in Normal Pregnant Women

The author studied the capillary configration and ballistocardiogram of pregnant women during pregnancy and after their delivery, who were presumed to undergo changes of haemodynamics in a relatively short period of time. Materials and Method 1. 20 normal pregnant women were examined by the above mentioned items at the three different periods; in the latter term of the pregnancy, immediately after the perturition and 2-6 months after the childbirth. 2. The examination of the capillaries were performed at room temperature 15°C-25°C. Cedar oil was dropped on the cuticle of the left and right digitic annulares which were placed on the same level with the heart. A Columbia cutanaeous phtotographic microscope. with 5x ocular and 11x odjective, was used. Regarding the capillaries the following items were examined; the width of the arterial limbs, the width of the venous limbs, width of the loop, length of the arterial limbs, the number of visible capillaries, the number of windings, etc. Regarding the state of bloodstream the following items were examined; the continuity of the blood-stream, the degree of the fullness, the presence or absence of granules, and the velocity. Furthermore, the subpapillary venous plexus was examined and measured with the aid of micrometer (μ). A low frequency table ballistocardiograph was applied and the ballistocardiogram was obtained and it was analysed. Results No morphological abnormalities was noticed in the capillary configuration of the normal pregnant women. However, the blood-stream was characterized by the discontinuations, granular appearance, lack of fullness and slow velocity during the pregnancy. After the delivery day by day these phenomena tended to changes as to the continuity, absence of granules, favorable fullness and fast velocity. In the ballistocardiograms, L-wave increased in the latter period of the pregnancy which decreased day by day after the childbirth.