[Adaptation of peripheral microcirculation in the course of pregnancy]

The present prospective study investigates the changes of the peripheral microcirculation during pregnancy and puerperium, especially in preeclampsia. Using videocapillary microscopy we investigated 30 pregnant women at 4 different times. We studied red cell velocity as well as reactivity to artificial ischaemia of capillary blood vessels. An increase of red cell velocity during the course of pregnancy of approximately 30% and a reduction near normal values within 12 weeks after delivery was demonstrated. There is an obvious decrease of vascular reactivity to ischaemia as a consequence of increasing physiological vasodilatation in pregnancy. 24 pregnant pregnant women with normal peripheral microcirculation at the beginning of pregnancy had an uneventful pregnancy but 3 out of 6 pregnant women with an obviously impaired microcirculation developed pregnancy induced hypertension. These 3 were smokers.