STUDIES ON THE CIRCULATION IN PREGNANCY

Abstract

Studies were conducted for several years (1932-1937) at the cardiac research laboratory of the Boston Lying-in Hospital on the physiology of the circulation of pregnant women.¹The purposes of these studies were, first, to learn the dynamics of the circulation of the normal pregnant woman, second, to learn what the nature of the "increased burden" on the pregnant woman with heart disease is, and, finally, to develop, if possible, concepts which might be of clinical use in the management of normal pregnant women and pregnant women with heart disease. A summary of the results of these studies, plus pertinent studies from the literature, will be presented here. CLINICAL AND LABORATORY EXAMINATIONS Before proceeding to the physiologic results of this study, it seems useful to present facts bearing on the simpler clinical aspects of the subject gained from the clinical examination of the cardiorespiratorv system. This study included single examinations