Neurovascular coupling in pregnancy and the risk of preeclampsia.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE This study investigated whether a short testing of neurovascular coupling during midterm pregnancy could identify women at risk for subsequent preeclampsia. METHODS Transcranial Doppler sonography of the posterior cerebral artery during a brief visual stimulation was analyzed in 68 women at midterm pregnancy, the primary clinical end point was preeclampsia. RESULTS Women with bilateral notching of the uterine arteries showed an exaggerated visually evoked blood flow increase and longer time-to-peak. Neurovascular coupling was not significantly associated with the occurrence of preeclampsia. CONCLUSIONS Neurovascular coupling was altered in women with impaired uteroplacentar vasoregulation but not a significant predictor of preeclampsia.