IMR Press / CEOG / Volume 46 / Issue 1 / DOI: 10.12891/ceog4200.2019

Clinical and Experimental Obstetrics & Gynecology (CEOG) is published by IMR Press from Volume 47 Issue 1 (2020). Previous articles were published by another publisher on a subscription basis, and they are hosted by IMR Press on imrpress.com as a courtesy and upon agreement with S.O.G.

Open Access Original Research
Breast changes in pregnancy and lactation observed by ultrasonography
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1 Januário Cicco Maternity School, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) - Natal/RN, Brazil
2 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) - Natal/RN, Brazil
3 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of São Paulo (USP) - Ribeirão Preto/SP, Brazil
*Correspondence: adohol@gmail.com (A.A. REGINALDO DE HOLANDA)
Clin. Exp. Obstet. Gynecol. 2019, 46(1), 7–11; https://doi.org/10.12891/ceog4200.2019
Published: 10 February 2019
Abstract

Purpose of Investigation: To assess the ultrasound aspects of breasts and laser Doppler flow measurements of the internal mammary arteries (IMA) in pregnant, lactating, and non-pregnant (control) women. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional observation study of 102 women, divided into three groups: control (CG), third trimester (G3), and lactation group (LG). The study variables were skin, subcutaneous adipose tissue, fibroglandular tissue, retromammary adipose tissue thickness, duct diameter, and pulsatility (PI) and resistance indices (RI) of the internal mammary arteries. Statistical analysis calculated the means and standard deviations, using two models Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) models to assess the effect of groups on the mean values found and adjusted ANOVA models for individual means. The Tukey-Kramer multiple comparisons test was used to analyze intergroup. Results: There was no intergroup age difference (mean = 27 ± 4.76 years). A significant difference was observed between the G3/LG and the CG in terms of skin (p = 0.001), fibroglandular tissue thickness, duct diameter, and laser Doppler flow measurements of the IMA (all three with p < 0.001) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (p = 0.045). Conclusion: This study showed alterations in skin, subcutaneous adipose tissue, fibroglandular tissue, and duct diameter measurements, with a difference between pregnant/lactating women and the non-pregnant controls.

Keywords
Pregnancy
Lactation
Breast ultrasound
Laser Doppler flowmetry
Figures
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