Ramunė Vankevičienė, Nijolė Drazdienė

Abstract

Fetal ductus arteriosus is the small and very important vessel for fetal hemodynamic. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are known to have a constrictive effect on the fetal ductus. The constriction of ductus arteriosus in utero may be clinically important with respect to fetal hemodynamic compromise and the potential for neonatal cardiac dysfunction, right cardiac ventricle hypertrophy and pulmonary hypertension. An increasing number of cases of fetal ductal constriction not associated with consumption of anti-inflammatory drugs during pregnancy have been observed. The polyphenols or flavonoids present in food and consumed by pregnant women could influence ductal flow dynamics and be a risk factor for ductal constriction. There are a few cases of spontaneous antenatal ductal closure presented in this article.

Keyword(s): ductus arteriosus; hypertrophy of cardiac right ventricle; echocardiography
DOI: 10.5200/396
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