Quantitative estimation of human uterine artery blood flow and pelvic blood flow redistribution in pregnancy.

Abstract

Compared with nonpregnant values, common iliac artery flow increased and external iliac artery flow decreased during pregnancy, suggesting that redistribution of pelvic flow to favor the uterus contributed to the pregnancy-associated rise in uterus artery flow. Early in pregnancy, the increase in uterine artery blood flow was due in equal parts to changes in uterine artery diameter and mean flow velocity, whereas late in pregnancy, the rise was due mainly to faster mean flow velocity.