Pregnancy-specific uterine vascular reactivity: a data-driven computational model of shear-dependent, myogenic, and mechanical radial artery features

Abstract

To our knowledge, this is the first data-driven computational model of autoregulation of uterine radial arteries, likely rate limiters of maternal blood flow to the placenta. The study demonstrates that uterine radial arteries behave differently from systemic vessels (higher compliance, shear-mediated constriction) and change their properties in pregnancy (higher myogenic tone, higher compliance, tolerance of higher flow rates). This pregnancy-specific mathematical model of vascular reactivity allows interrogation of the functional significance of incomplete vascular adaption in pathology.