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Blood flow velocity waveforms in large maternal and uterine vessels were measured longitudinally from 16 weeks gestation onwards until 12 weeks postpartum in 21 singleton pregnancies by duplex sonography. In the maternal carotid artery, time average mean velocity (TAVmean) did not show significant changes. In both the femoral artery and vein, however, significant changes were observed. In the femoral artery, TAVmean and systolic maximum velocities decreased with advancing gestation. In the femoral vein, TAVmean remained constant throughout pregnancy and was lower than postpartum. The resistance index in the uterine arteries decreased with advancing gestation and increased after delivery. Among many factors contributing to femoral arterial blood flow velocity changes in pregnancy, we suggest that a major one is the increase in uterine blood flow. Reduction in venous femoral blood flow velocity and increase in the femoral vein diameter might be associated with the common occurrence of venous disorders in pregnancy.Numerous studies have investigatcd maternal central cardiovascular haemodynamics in pregnancy. Though different measurement methods have been used, and though many results arc controversial, it 1s generally agreed that cardiac

Summary. The effects of maternal pethidine administration (100 mg itramuscularly) were investigated in 150 infants at 1–2 h after birth, 95 infants whose mothers had not received pethidine served as a control group. Pethidine administration showed no effect on pH or Pco2 of cord blood and neonatal arterial blood at 1–2 h after birth if the time interval between pethidine administration and delivery was ≤1 h. However, when the interval was >1 h: umbilical vein blood PCO2 was higher; neonatal arterial blood PCO2 was higher; neonatal baseline heart rate was higher, although long‐term variability was similar; the percentage time spent crying was considerably reduced compared with the corresponding values in the control group. The long‐term effects of pethidine are unknown but the adverse neonatal factors particularly if the time interval between administration of the drug and delivery is >1 h should be kept in mind.

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