Separation and characterization of maternal cardiac and vascular sounds in the third trimester of pregnancy

Abstract

Maternal vascular murmurs in the frequency range of 200-800 Hz were identified as a possible marker of abnormal uteroplacental blood flow, and provide a means to measure the arterial pulse wave velocity.

Association between maternal vascular murmur and the small‐for‐gestational‐age fetus with abnormal umbilical artery Doppler flow

“…At the lower frequency (25–100 Hz), cardiac sounds were audible and visible with distinct delimitations of a first valve sound caused by closure of the atrioventricular valves and a second valve sound caused by closure of the semilunar valves. In the higher frequency segment (200–800 Hz), a consistent pulsatile bruit or murmur (MVM) could be obtained . The existence of vascular murmurs in this frequency segment has previously been associated with turbulent flow distal to a reduced arterial passage in cardiovascular disease .…”

“…In the higher frequency segment (200-800 Hz), a consistent pulsatile bruit or murmur (MVM) could be obtained. 11 The existence of vascular murmurs in this frequency segment has previously been associated with turbulent flow distal to a reduced arterial passage in cardiovascular disease. [13][14][15] Given that the investigation of vascular murmurs is new in the context of pregnancy, and given the lack of consensus on the best method to identify FGR, 6 we chose to evaluate the relationship between MVM and FGR as defined on the basis of findings from a prospective multicenter study 4 that was conducted to identify the prenatal sonographic method that was most strongly associated with an adverse neonatal outcome in pregnancies complicated by growth restriction.…”

“…If the pulsatile pattern also occurred within this particular spectrum, the recording was classified as containing MVMs (Fig. , upper graph) . If none of the recordings from a participant contained MVMs (Fig.…”

“…The maternal vascular murmur (MVM) is a new acoustic marker of disturbed maternal vascular flow that is currently being investigated in the prenatal clinical context. The hypothesis of the present study was that MVM could be used to identify fetuses compromised by placental dysfunction attributable to abnormal spiral artery modification.…”

“…5,6 The ability to distinguish a healthy fetus with a normal or low weight from a compromised fetus is not only critical in the clinical context, but is also important as a source of preclinical information: in the long term, the fetal response to placental dysfunction is associated with comorbidities such as cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. 7,8 The maternal vascular murmur (MVM) is a new acoustic marker of disturbed maternal vascular flow [9][10][11] that is currently being investigated in the prenatal clinical context. The hypothesis of the present study was that MVM could be used to identify fetuses compromised by placental dysfunction attributable to abnormal spiral artery modification.…”