Uterine blood flow at term pregnancy is approximately:

Uterine blood flow at term pregnancy is approximately:

• A. 50 mL/min
• B. 250 mL/min
• C. 700 mL/min
• D. 1100 mL/min

Answer: (C)

Uterine blood flow rises dramatically during pregnancy to meet the needs of the placenta and growing fetus. Before pregnancy, the uterus receives only a small amount of blood flow, but by term it reaches roughly 700 mL per minute. This large increase reflects the low-resistance placental circulation and extensive remodeling of the uterine vasculature, allowing high-volume flow without requiring high perfusion pressures. In clinical terms, this means placental perfusion is highly sensitive to maternal blood pressure and volume status, which is why maintaining adequate maternal circulation is crucial during labor and anesthesia. The value around 700 mL/min fits the expected term level; values around 50 mL/min are pre-pregnancy, 250 mL/min is still low for term, and 1100 mL/min would be unusually high for typical term physiology.

Uterine blood flow rises dramatically during pregnancy to meet the needs of the placenta and growing fetus. Before pregnancy, the uterus receives only a small amount of blood flow, but by term it reaches roughly 700 mL per minute. This large increase reflects the low-resistance placental circulation and extensive remodeling of the uterine vasculature, allowing high-volume flow without requiring high perfusion pressures. In clinical terms, this means placental perfusion is highly sensitive to maternal blood pressure and volume status, which is why maintaining adequate maternal circulation is crucial during labor and anesthesia. The value around 700 mL/min fits the expected term level; values around 50 mL/min are pre-pregnancy, 250 mL/min is still low for term, and 1100 mL/min would be unusually high for typical term physiology.