Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

When do cardiovascular parameters return to their preconception values?

E L Capeless1, J F Clapp

  • 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Vermont, Burlington.

American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
|October 1, 1991
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Uterine blood flow during supine rest and exercise after 28 weeks of gestation.

BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology·2006
Same author

Influence of endurance exercise and diet on human placental development and fetal growth.

Placenta·2005
Same author

Running throughout pregnancy: effect on placental villous vascular volume and cell proliferation.

Placenta·2004
Same author

Fetal cerebellum: US appearance with advancing gestational age.

Radiology·2001
Same author

Beginning regular exercise in early pregnancy: effect on fetoplacental growth.

American journal of obstetrics and gynecology·2000
Same author

Proactive telephone peer support to help pregnant women stop smoking.

Tobacco control·2000
Same journal

Trends in Infertility Treatments by Race, Ethnicity, Socioeconomic Status, and Region in U.S. Birth Certificates from Live Births: 2011-2022.

American journal of obstetrics and gynecology·2026
Same journal

Likelihood ratios enhance clinical interpretation of metagenomic prediction of early-onset neonatal sepsis in preterm premature rupture of membranes (Letter-to-the-Editor).

American journal of obstetrics and gynecology·2026
Same journal

Taking risk stratification in preterm premature rupture of membranes to the bedside (Reply to Letter-to-the-Editor).

American journal of obstetrics and gynecology·2026
Same journal

Gestational Age at Full-Term Delivery and Long-Term Offspring Morbidity in Low-Risk Pregnancies: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

American journal of obstetrics and gynecology·2026
Same journal

Trajectories of childbirth-related posttraumatic stress symptoms after a vaginal delivery: a multicenter prospective study.

American journal of obstetrics and gynecology·2026
Same journal

Early life adversity and polycystic ovary syndrome among North American pregnancy planners.

American journal of obstetrics and gynecology·2026
See all related articles

Postpartum cardiovascular recovery takes longer than previously thought. Key heart metrics like stroke volume remain elevated 12 weeks after childbirth, indicating a delayed return to pre-pregnancy cardiovascular status.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Physiology
  • Reproductive Medicine
  • Maternal Health

Background:

  • The postpartum period is crucial for maternal cardiovascular adaptation.
  • Previous assumptions suggested a rapid return to pre-pregnancy cardiovascular status.
  • Understanding long-term postpartum cardiovascular changes is essential for accurate health assessments.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate whether postpartum cardiovascular parameters reflect pre-pregnancy status.
  • To assess the duration of cardiovascular changes after singleton pregnancies without complications.
  • To re-evaluate the contribution of stroke volume to cardiac output changes during pregnancy.

Main Methods:

  • Serial echocardiography was used to measure cardiac output, stroke volume, and end-diastolic volume.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Systemic vascular resistance was calculated using cardiac output and blood pressure.
  • Measurements were taken from 13 women before conception and at 6 and 12 weeks postpartum.

    • Main Results:

    • Stroke volume and end-diastolic volume remained significantly elevated at 6 and 12 weeks postpartum compared to preconception values.
    • Systemic vascular resistance was still decreased at 12 weeks postpartum relative to baseline.
    • Cardiovascular parameters had not returned to preconception levels by 12 weeks postpartum.

    Conclusions:

    • The postpartum period does not fully reflect pre-pregnancy cardiovascular status.
    • Previous studies may have underestimated stroke volume's role in pregnancy-induced cardiac output changes.
    • Maternal cardiovascular adaptation extends beyond 12 weeks postpartum, necessitating longer follow-up periods.