Effects of methyldopa and nifedipine on uteroplacental and fetal hemodynamics in gestational hypertension.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Investigation of methyldopa and nifedipine effects on maternal and fetal hemodynamics in women with mild gestational hypertension during the third pregnancy trimester. METHODS: A prospective cohort study. Methyldopa effects were followed in 28 patients, and nifedipine effects in another 28 patients. There were also 28 healthy controls. RESULTS: Uterine artery blood velocity waveform indices were improved only by nifedipine. Neither of the drugs affected the indices in umbilical and fetal middle cerebral artery. Both drugs normalized maternal blood pressure and pulse. CONCLUSIONS: Methyldopa and nifedipine did not show clinically significant influence on umbilical artery and fetal cerebral blood flow.