Sublingual Microcirculation Change During Pregnancy and Postpartum Period (Cytocam-OBS)

Microcirculation system is composed of a group of blood vessels less than 100 um in diameter composed of arterioles, capillaries, veins and other structures. The health of microcirculation system correlates well with the stability of systemic circulation. Perfusio of microcirculation is often affected by major diseases such as sepsis, shock and heart disease. Through various microcirculation monitoring instruments, the investigators can assess the disease severity and prognosis.

Physiological changes during pregnancy will increase the blood volume, stroke volume, and microcirculation. Preeclampsia refers to the development of hypertension (systolic blood pressure> 140 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure> 90 mmHg) after 20 weeks of gestation with proteinuria. Severe preeclampsia is associated with impaired endothelial cell circulation throughout the body, and reduced sublingual microcirculation perfusion.

Through the sublingual microcirculation monitor, studies have shown that pregnant women have more microcirculation perfusion than non-pregnant women, while women with severe preeclampsia and those with HELLP syndrome have impaired microcirculation.

This study aims to investigate whether there is any change in the sublingual microcirculation before and after labor in healthy pregnant women and high-risk pregnant women (such as epilepsy, gestational diabetes, etc.) through the third generation of microcirculation imaging microscope (cytocam).