The Impact of Pregnancy and Pregnancy-associated Hypertension on Human Uterine Myometrial Artery Reactivity

The investigators seek to describe the composition, architecture, and electrical conduction properties of the human uterine myometrial artery and their impact on vascular reactivity upon exposure to hypertensive stress. Non-pregnant women and pregnant women with and without hypertensive complications will be studied to evaluate the influence of these states on the myometrial arteries. Vascular over-reactivity and disruption of the normal pregnancy-associated physiologic changes of relaxed vascular tone possess the potential for non-compensated blood flow to the uterus and placenta that is insufficient to meet the metabolic demands of a growing placenta. With an understanding of these changes, the research team will be able to propose basic mechanistic changes of pathologic myogenic tone that may ultimately be investigated as potentially modifiable processes to reduce the development and/or severity of these pregnancy complications (gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, eclampsia, small for gestational age, intrauterine growth restriction and intrauterine fetal demise. ).