The objectives of the study were fourfold: The first objective was to obtain a non-invasive method of measuring volume blood flow in the lower thoracic level of the human fetal descending aorta with particular emphasis on pulsatile changes in the blood flow velocity and vessel diameter. A discussion on technical and methodological aspects of volume blood flow measurements can be found in the second chapter Having studied the technical and methodological aspects of volume blood flow measurements in the descending aorta of the human fetus, and becoming more aware of the major limitations of such ultrasonic measurements, the second objective was to investigate and to collect data on normal pregnancy in the third trimester. The data from an initial study of twenty patients can be found in the third chapter. A cardiac arrhythmia alters the "milieu interieur" and the adjustments that the human fetal cardiovascular system makes are of physiological importance. By investigating volume blood flow in the human fetus in the presence of an arrhythmia, our third objective was to elucidate the compensatory mechanisms that occur in the human fetus during such adverse conditions, and the data are presented in the fourth chapter. Intrauterine growth retardation is a complication of pregnancy that is seen frequently in ante-natal clinics and on ante-natal wards. It also, unfortunately, tends to be a recurring problem for the expectant mother. The fourth objective was to investigate the changes that might occur in blood flow velocity waveforms in cases of intrauterine growth retardation and to assess the value of blood flow velocity waveform recordings for the early detection of such compromised fetuses. The data from these studies can be found in the fifth chapter.

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Erasmus University Rotterdam , J.W. Wladimiroff (Juriy)
N. Bom (Klaas)
hdl.handle.net/1765/51149
Erasmus MC: University Medical Center Rotterdam

Tonge, H. M. (1987, January 14). A doppler ultrasound study of human fetal vascular dynamics. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1765/51149