[Treatment and prevention of asymmetrical intrauterine growth retardation with huoxue huayu prescription].

The purpose of this study was to observe the therapeutical and preventive effect of the compound prescriptions of Huoxue Huayu (promoting blood circulation to remove stasis, PBCRS) and Yiqi Huoxue, replenishing Qi to remove stasis, RQRS) on experimental intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) caused by passive smoking during pregnancy in rats. The fetal average birth weight and the erythrocyte deformability were found to be significantly reduced in the smoke-exposed group compared with the control group. However, there was a significant increase of blood viscosity (at both shear rates), Hb, Ht, MCV, MCH levels and the erythrocyte fragility in the smoke-exposed group in comparison with the control group. After the mother-rats were given PBCRS and RQRS prescriptions during gestation, the fetal average birth weight and erythrocyte deformability were markedly increased. The blood viscosity, Hb, Ht, MCV, MCH levels and erythrocyte fragility of pregnant rats were decreased. No differences were found in the control group and the two treated groups. The electronic microscope observation of erythrocyte shape shows there were some protrusions on the surface of red cells in the smoke-exposed group. The protrusions were significantly reduced in the two treated groups, which was similar to the control group. The erythrocyte deformability, the blood viscosity, Hb, Ht, MCV, MCH levels indicate that there was a significant correlation between them and the fetal average birth weight respectively. This study indicates that blood stasis is one of the pathogenetic mechanisms of asymmetrical IUGR and that the PBCRS recipe could improve intrauterine growth environment of fetal which could treat and prevent IUGR in obstetrics.