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Objectives: To evaluate venous function during pregnancy and to compare two levels of graduated compression. Design: Prospective, randomized study. Setting: Vascular Surgery and Vascular Laboratory, University Hospital. Patients: Fifty pregnant women using graduated compression with pantyhose stockings exerting either 25 or 13 mmHg ankle pressure. Eight pregnant women acting as controls. Interventions: Foot volumetry to determine venous function (venous emptying during exercise and reflux) close to week 20, week 33 and post-partum. Results: The expelled volume increased significantly when graduated compression stockings were used. Refilling flow did not change significantly. Few patients with reflux were found. Conclusion: Graduated compression stockings of pantyhose type are effective in increasing venous emptying during pregnancy. Stockings exerting an ankle pressure of 13 mmHg at the ankle level were as effective as those exerting 25 mmHg.

Objective: To study the effect of graduated compression on maternal and fetal haemodynamics. Design: Measurement of maternal and fetal heart rate and uterine artery flow velocity ( Vmax) in supine and standing positions with and without graduated compression hosiery (25 mmHg at the ankle). Setting: Department of Surgery, Lund University, S-22185 Lund, Sweden. Patients: Eighteen women in gestational week 32–38. Results: An increase in heart rate on standing was recorded for both mother and fetus. Graduated compression stockings decreased these changes. Cyclic heart rate changes were not frequent. Uterine artery flow velocity did not change during change of posture or after compression. Conclusion: The utero-vascular syndrome was not common in the patients studied. Graduated compression reduced the vascular response to standing, measured as an increase of heart frequency at standing.