Abstract
Deteriorated blood rheology has been demonstrated in obstetric diseases with decreased placental perfusion. Many of the patients investigated in these studies suffered from conditions associated with hemorheological abnormalities, such as diabetes or pre-eclampsy. Therefore it is difficult to establish the pathogenetic role of blood rheology in fetal growth retardation. In the present study placental perfusion and whole blood viscosity were measured in 26 pregnant women with intrauterine fetal growth retardation, without pre-eclampsy or other disease of the mother. These patients were compared to 20 controls with normal, uncomplicated pregnancy. Significantly higher whole blood viscosity accompanied with deteriorated placental perfusion was found in the patient’s group. Results suggest a pathogenetic role of hyperviscostiy in cases of intrauterine growth retardation without pre-eclampsy.
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