Introduction - We hypothesized that nifedipine and sildenafil would have no detrimental effects on placental hemodynamics and gas exchange under fetal hypoxemia.<p> <p>Methods - In 33 chronically instrumented fetal sheep, placental volume blood flow (QPlac) and umbilical artery (UA) vascular impedance were measured by Doppler ultrasonography. Fetal carotid artery blood pressure and blood gas ...

Background - Physiological adaptation in pregnancy is characterized by remodeling of endocrine, cardiovascular and renal functions leading to fluid retention, volume expansion, altered cardiac loading conditions and hyperdynamic circulation. Natriuretic peptides have been used as biomarkers of cardiovascular function, but their associations with gestational age-related changes in maternal cardiac, ...

<i>Background</i> - Saliva plays a significant role in maintaining oral health and oral bacterial milieu. Difference in oxidative stress (OS) levels in saliva in conjunction with bacterial load between pregnant and non-pregnant women has not been studied previously. We hypothesized that the physiological changes in pregnancy alter oral bacterial milieu by promoting growth of <i>Streptococcus mutans</i> ...

Introduction - To systematically identify and critically assess the quality of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) on management fetal growth restriction (FGR).<p> <p>Content - Medline, Embase, Google Scholar, Scopus and ISI Web of Science databases were searched to identify all relevant CPGs on FGR.<p> <p>Summary - Diagnostic criteria of FGR, recommended growth charts, recommendation for ...