A Protocol for Evaluating Vital Signs and Maternal-Fetal Parameters Using High-Resolution Ultrasound in Pregnant Mice

doi:10.1016/j.xpro.2020.100134

. 2020 Oct 22;1(3):100134.

doi: 10.1016/j.xpro.2020.100134. eCollection 2020 Dec 18.

A Protocol for Evaluating Vital Signs and Maternal-Fetal Parameters Using High-Resolution Ultrasound in Pregnant Mice

Jose Galaz^{1

2

3}, Roberto Romero^{1

4

5

6

7

8}, Marcia Arenas-Hernandez^{1

2}, Bogdan Panaitescu^{1

2}, Valeria Garcia-Flores^{1

2}, Nardhy Gomez-Lopez^{1

2

9}

Affiliations

¹ Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NICHD/NIH/DHHS), Detroit, MI, USA.
² Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA.
³ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
⁴ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
⁵ Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
⁶ Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.
⁷ Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, MI, USA.
⁸ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.
⁹ Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA.

PMID: 33377028
PMCID: PMC7757336
DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2020.100134

A Protocol for Evaluating Vital Signs and Maternal-Fetal Parameters Using High-Resolution Ultrasound in Pregnant Mice

Jose Galaz et al. STAR Protoc. 2020.

. 2020 Oct 22;1(3):100134.

doi: 10.1016/j.xpro.2020.100134. eCollection 2020 Dec 18.

Authors

Jose Galaz^{1

2

3}, Roberto Romero^{1

4

5

6

7

8}, Marcia Arenas-Hernandez^{1

2}, Bogdan Panaitescu^{1

2}, Valeria Garcia-Flores^{1

2}, Nardhy Gomez-Lopez^{1

2

9}

Affiliations

¹ Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NICHD/NIH/DHHS), Detroit, MI, USA.
² Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA.
³ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
⁴ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
⁵ Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
⁶ Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.
⁷ Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, MI, USA.
⁸ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.
⁹ Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA.

PMID: 33377028
PMCID: PMC7757336
DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2020.100134

Abstract

Pregnancy is a unique physiological state in which two individuals coexist: the mother and the fetus. Disruption of maternal-fetal crosstalk leads to pregnancy and neonatal pathologies. Therefore, assessing maternal-fetal well-being is essential for understanding the physiological and pathological processes occurring during pregnancy. Herein, we provide a protocol that allows for the determination of body temperature, blood pressure, and the evaluation of uterine and umbilical arteries as well as maternal and fetal heart rate using high-resolution ultrasound in pregnant mice. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Gomez-Lopez et al. (2020).

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

**Figure 1**
Setup and Parameters for Temperature and Blood Pressure Measurement (A) Physiological monitor showing the temperature and heart rate readouts. (B) Animal warming platform of the CODA™ Non-invasive Blood Pressure System showing level and time. (C) CODA™ High Throughput Controller showing the occlusion cuff connector and VPR cuff connector. (D) Device Manager window for the CODA™ High Throughput Controller software. (E) Device Test window showing a representative curve that indicates a passed test.

**Figure 2**
Temperature Measurement Procedure (A) Application of Aquagel® lubricant gel to the gauze pad. (B) Dipping the rectal probe in Aquagel® lubricant gel. (C) Insertion of the rectal probe into the mouse’s anus. See also Methods Video S1.

**Figure 3**
Experiment Setup in CODA™ Software for Blood Pressure Measurement (A) New Experiment window. (B) Session Info window. (C) Specimen Selection window. (D) Session Parameters window. (E) Final window showing “Finish” button that will begin the experiment.

**Figure 4**
Mouse Setup and Representative Data for Blood Pressure Measurement (A) Mouse restrainer and cuff setup for blood pressure measurement. (B) Representative curve indicating an accepted cycle. (C) Representative report from a successful blood pressure measurement. Red square shows the average Diastolic, Systolic, and Mean measurements. See also Methods Video S2.

**Figure 5**
Ultrasound Station and Experiment Setup (A) Ultrasound station showing the primary components for ultrasound experiments. (B) New Study window showing the experiment setup. (C) Isoflurane vaporizer connected to the anesthesia induction chamber containing the mouse. See also Methods Video S3.

**Figure 7**
Representative Maternal Bladder Imaging and Mapping of Pups (A) Representative ultrasound image showing the maternal bladder from the transverse view. (B) Example of drawn map showing the location of each pup relative to the maternal bladder. See also Methods Video S4.

**Figure 6**
Mouse Preparation and Transducer Positioning Prior to Ultrasound Measurement (A) Application of eye lubricant to mouse. (B) Application of depilatory cream to mouse abdomen. (C) Spreading of depilatory cream over mouse abdomen. (D) Mouse abdomen after hair removal with taped paws and rectal probe inserted. (E) Application of ultrasound gel on mouse abdomen. (F) Transverse positioning of the transducer over the mouse abdomen prior to ultrasound measurement. See also Methods Videos S3 and S4.

**Figure 8**
Umbilical and Uterine Artery Measurement (A) Representative image of the typical wave shape of the umbilical artery. (B) Representative image of the typical wave shape of the uterine artery. (C) Study Management window for selecting ultrasound videos to measure velocity and heart rate. (D) User interface showing the icons for measuring velocity and heart rate. (E) Representative measurement of the umbilical artery peak systolic velocity, end diastolic velocity, and fetal heart rate. (F) Representative measurement of the uterine artery peak systolic velocity, end diastolic velocity, and maternal heart rate. (G) Representative data output from maternal-fetal evaluation experiment. GA, Gestational Age; HR, Heart Rate; PSV, Peak Systolic Velocity; EDV, End Diastolic Velocity; PI, Pulsatility Index; RI, Resistance Index. See also Methods Videos S5 and S6.

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References

1. Arenas-Hernandez M., Romero R., Xu Y., Panaitescu B., Garcia-Flores V., Miller D., Ahn H., Done B., Hassan S.S., Hsu C.D. Effector and activated T cells induce preterm labor and birth that is prevented by treatment with progesterone. J. Immunol. 2019;202:2585–2608. - PMC - PubMed
1. Brosens I., Puttemans P., Benagiano G. Placental bed research: I. The placental bed: from spiral arteries remodeling to the great obstetrical syndromes. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 2019;221:437–456. - PubMed
1. Chaiworapongsa T., Chaemsaithong P., Yeo L., Romero R. Pre-eclampsia part 1: current understanding of its pathophysiology. Nat. Rev. Nephrol. 2014;10:466–480. - PMC - PubMed
1. Chapman A.B., Abraham W.T., Zamudio S., Coffin C., Merouani A., Young D., Johnson A., Osorio F., Goldberg C., Moore L.G. Temporal relationships between hormonal and hemodynamic changes in early human pregnancy. Kidney Int. 1998;54:2056–2063. - PubMed
1. Clark S.L., Cotton D.B., Lee W., Bishop C., Hill T., Southwick J., Pivarnik J., Spillman T., Devore G.R., Phelan J. Central hemodynamic assessment of normal term pregnancy. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 1989;161:1439–1442. - PubMed

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[1] Arenas-Hernandez M., Romero R., Xu Y., Panaitescu B., Garcia-Flores V., Miller D., Ahn H., Done B., Hassan S.S., Hsu C.D. Effector and activated T cells induce preterm labor and birth that is prevented by treatment with progesterone. J. Immunol. 2019;202:2585–2608. - PMC - PubMed

[2] Arenas-Hernandez M., Romero R., Xu Y., Panaitescu B., Garcia-Flores V., Miller D., Ahn H., Done B., Hassan S.S., Hsu C.D. Effector and activated T cells induce preterm labor and birth that is prevented by treatment with progesterone. J. Immunol. 2019;202:2585–2608. - PMC - PubMed

[3] Brosens I., Puttemans P., Benagiano G. Placental bed research: I. The placental bed: from spiral arteries remodeling to the great obstetrical syndromes. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 2019;221:437–456. - PubMed

[4] Brosens I., Puttemans P., Benagiano G. Placental bed research: I. The placental bed: from spiral arteries remodeling to the great obstetrical syndromes. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 2019;221:437–456. - PubMed

[5] Chaiworapongsa T., Chaemsaithong P., Yeo L., Romero R. Pre-eclampsia part 1: current understanding of its pathophysiology. Nat. Rev. Nephrol. 2014;10:466–480. - PMC - PubMed

[6] Chaiworapongsa T., Chaemsaithong P., Yeo L., Romero R. Pre-eclampsia part 1: current understanding of its pathophysiology. Nat. Rev. Nephrol. 2014;10:466–480. - PMC - PubMed

[7] Chapman A.B., Abraham W.T., Zamudio S., Coffin C., Merouani A., Young D., Johnson A., Osorio F., Goldberg C., Moore L.G. Temporal relationships between hormonal and hemodynamic changes in early human pregnancy. Kidney Int. 1998;54:2056–2063. - PubMed

[8] Chapman A.B., Abraham W.T., Zamudio S., Coffin C., Merouani A., Young D., Johnson A., Osorio F., Goldberg C., Moore L.G. Temporal relationships between hormonal and hemodynamic changes in early human pregnancy. Kidney Int. 1998;54:2056–2063. - PubMed

[9] Clark S.L., Cotton D.B., Lee W., Bishop C., Hill T., Southwick J., Pivarnik J., Spillman T., Devore G.R., Phelan J. Central hemodynamic assessment of normal term pregnancy. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 1989;161:1439–1442. - PubMed

[10] Clark S.L., Cotton D.B., Lee W., Bishop C., Hill T., Southwick J., Pivarnik J., Spillman T., Devore G.R., Phelan J. Central hemodynamic assessment of normal term pregnancy. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 1989;161:1439–1442. - PubMed

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A Protocol for Evaluating Vital Signs and Maternal-Fetal Parameters Using High-Resolution Ultrasound in Pregnant Mice

Affiliations

A Protocol for Evaluating Vital Signs and Maternal-Fetal Parameters Using High-Resolution Ultrasound in Pregnant Mice

Authors

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Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

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