Abdominal Decompression in the Treatment of the Toxæmias of Pregnancy

Abdominal Decompression

“…Although a magnification of the intervillous space, and an increased vascularization of the placental villi have been found in AD treatment [2] and a significantly better growth of the biparietal diameter in ultrasound examinations has been reported as compared with controls [20], we could not observe a significant acceleration in fetal growth, measured by this rel atively coarse parameter. A real effect of AD on fetal growth has been called in question by others [16].…”

“…Since a positive influence of AD on frequency and severity of EPH gestosis has been reported [1,2], we investigated the behaviour of the 37 pregnant women presenting with gestosis ( fig. 4).…”

“…This and other problems of evaluation could only be clarified by a controlled or double-blind study which would be nearly impossible in AD because the pregnant woman feels the rhythmic decompression. We also could not con firm a warranted influence on frequency and severity of the EPH gestosisone of the primary thoughts in AD [1,2].…”

“…There is still a lack of proved methods to meliorate a poor placental function. One possibility represents the abdomi nal decompression (AD), firstly published by Hey ns [8][9][10] and Heyns et al [9], originally introduced for application in labour for pain relief [8] and afterwards in late pregnancy to prevent onset of EPH gestosis [1,2], In a pilot study [17,18] comprising 22 patients presenting with placental insuf ficiency we observed an elevation of unconjugated oestriol (E3) and human placental lactogen (HPL), both in serum, within several hours after AD treatment as compared with a control group, and furthermore placenta per fusion measurements by radioisotopes had meliorated significantly after 1 week of treatment. These results have encouraged us to apply AD repeatedly for a duration of several weeks in cases suspected as having chronic placen tal insufficiency.…”

The Effects of Abdominal Decompression on Pregnancy Complicated by the Small–for–dates Fetus

“…THE use of abdominal decompression has been reported to result in the clinical improvement A total of 140 pregnancies complicated by a of patients with pre-eclampsia, and in the "small-for-dates" fetus was studied. The lowering of the perinatal mortality rate in this diagnosis of "small-for-dates" was initially disorder (Heyns, 1963 ;Blecher, 1965;Blecher made clinically, but patients were only included and Heyns, 1967). It has also been reported that in the study if the following criteria were function of the feto-placental unit, as assessed satisfied: that there was no doubt about the by measuring the 24-hour urinary output of time of the last normal menstrual period, that pregnanediol and oestriol, was improved by the uterine size had corresponded with the period use of abdominal decompression (MacRae and of amenorrhoea at the first antenatal visit, and Mohamedally, 1970 and1971).…”