Arterial stiffness in women who subsequently developed isolated intrauterine growth restriction and preeclampsia

Purpose: Women with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and preeclampsia (PE) show differences in maternal symptoms but share similar vascular abnormalities like abnormal uterine artery perfusion and postpartum arterial stiffness. The aim of this study was to assess if altered arterial stiffness preceds IUGR and PE. Material and methods: Puls-wave-velocity (PWV) of the carotid artery was evaluated with high resolution ultrasound in 43 healthy pregnancies (HP), 28 pregnant women with IUGR and absence of PE symptoms or gestational hypertension and 42 with PE in absence of IUGR in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd trimester and…