[Study of intervillous blood circulation using color and pulsed doppler ultrasound]

Studies of the formation and hemodynamics of intervillous circulation aroused great scientific interest in the past few years. The reason for this is development of the technology of color Doppler ultrasound, which can non-invasively in vivo follow-up changes in intervillous circulation during all three trimesters of gestation. The results of Doppler ultrasound measurements have been compared to histological and embryological findings. Different experimental findings and theories induced intensive scientific discussions about the timing of the formation of intervillous circulation, as well as about possible significance of hemodynamic changes in physiological and pathological processes in early and late gestation. In this review article we tried to acquaint the broader professional readership with this interesting subject, and to present our results and viewpoints after several years of the study of intervillous circulation with color Doppler.