Parturient Microcirculation

NCT01491685 · Status: COMPLETED · Type: OBSERVATIONAL · Enrollment: 36

Last updated 2012-01-19

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

This is an observational study comparing microcirculation of pregnant to non-pregnant women. "Microcirculation" means blood flow to the extremely small blood vessels in one's body. During pregnancy the amount of blood in a woman's body increases. The body responds to this increase by pumping more blood through the heart and narrowing the size of blood vessels.

There are many types of blood vessels that have different roles in the body. Larger blood vessels. Transport blood to and from body organs like the brain and liver. Small vessels (microcirculation)distributes blood to the organ tissues. The microcirculation can change blood flow and blood pressure. Microcirculation is involved in delivering oxygen and nutrients to your body, removing waste products, and regulating body temperature.

The investigators current understanding of the microcirculation in pregnant women is limited. There is a device available that can measure microcirculation. It is known as Sidestream Dark Field (SDF) imaging. It is a special type of camera that captures pictures of the microcirculation. In this study the investigators will compare the microcirculation, as seen with SDF imaging, of pregnant women to non-pregnant women. By improving the investigators understanding of maternal microcirculation the investigators are adding to the knowledge of how the pregnant body works. The investigators hope to then translate this knowledge into further studies to improve maternal and fetal outcomes through prevention and treatment of maternal low blood pressure caused by spinal anesthesia.

Conditions

  • Pregnancy
  • Microcirculation

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • IWK Health Centre

    lead OTHER

Eligibility

Sex
FEMALE
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2011-08-31
Primary Completion
2011-10-31
Completion
2011-10-31

Countries

  • Canada

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT01491685 on ClinicalTrials.gov