Understanding Reduced Uteroplacental Perfusion (RUPP): Causes & Risks

Pregnancy comes with a set of unique medical considerations, so it's important to seek frequent medical care during this time. Reduced uteroplacental perfusion, or RUPP, is a serious condition affecting blood flow between mother and fetus, which can harm the health of both.

Definition

• The term "reduced uteroplacental perfusion" means a reduction in the flow of fluids to and from the placenta. This leads to a condition called endothelial dysfunction, in which the flat cells that line the blood vessels are damaged, causing arterial thickening and hardening. The result is hypertension, which can lead to pre-eclampsia, a life-threatening condition for both mother and child.

Causes

• RUPP may result from stress, medications, nicotine, anesthesia or diabetes. In a 2004 study published in "Biology of Reproduction," Cindy M. Anderson and colleagues list growing evidence that pre-clampsia is not the cause of RUPP, but rather that pre-eclampsia is the result of it.

Heredity

• A study published in "Biology of Reproduction" states that rats induced with reduced ueteroplacental perfusion passed on the tendency for the dysfunction to two generations.

Awareness

• RUPP has more than one consequence. Aside from pre-eclampsia, the condition may be a factor in low birth weight due to a reduced flow of blood and nutrients to the fetus.

Symptoms

• RUPP may have its origins in early pregnancy, so regular checkups may help identify potential problems before they develop.You may be at risk of developing pre-eclampsia caused by the condition if you experience abnormal weight gain in a short time.