Maternal cardiovascular involvement

Pregnancy is a physiological stress test that is reliant on adequate adaptation of the maternal cardiovascular system. Alterations to blood volume, cardiac output and total vascular resistance are keys to meeting the metabolic demands of the mother and fetus and allowing for adequate perfusion of the uteroplacental unit. Failure of these haemodynamic adaptations can contribute to various disorders of pregnancy, including pre-eclampsia (PE) and fetal growth restriction (FGR). This chapter will explore the methods used to measure maternal cardiac function. We will focus on how they can be used to assess both physiological cardiovascular adaptations during pregnancy and maladaptations that may contribute to pathological processes such as fetal growth restriction.