DOES THERMAL-STRESS DECREASE UTERINE BLOOD-FLOW IN HYPERTENSIVE PREGNANCIES

The aim of the study was to determine the acute effects of thermal str ess on maternal and fetal circulatory responses in normal and hyperten sive patients. Therefore we studied 14 healthy pregnant women and 12 w omen with compromised pregnancies during short-term heat stress using color Doppler ultrasound in addition to conventional follow-up methods . The uterine vascular resistance increased significantly during the e xposure in the high-risk pregnancy group without change in the control group. The results of the present study give strong support to our ea rlier studies that short-term heat stress seems to be safe in uncompli cated pregnancies but may be detrimental in high-risk pregnancies.