Umbilical Artery Doppler Velocimetry in Small for Gestational Age Fetuses

Rhee, Yun Ee

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To evaluate perinatal outcomes in high risk pregnancy fifty-four women who were delivered of small for gestational age infants were studied antenatally by serially umbilical artery doppler velocimetry in our unit. Five study subjects with loss of end diastolic velocities were excepted.
METHODS
Forty-nine study subjects were separated with normal (group I, 12 subjects) and abnormal (group II, 37 subjects) systolic/diastolic (A/B) ratio of umbilical artery. Perinatal outcomes were compared with normal and abnormal group. Fisher's exact test and student t test were used for statistical analysis
RESULTS
The group with an abnormal A/B ratio had a signifiamtly higher incidence cesarean section for fetal distress, admission into the neonatal intensive care unit, perinatal death, and adverse perinatal outcome. these data suggest that small for gestational age fetus with normal ratio is at significantly lower risk than are those with abnonnal ratio.
CONCLUSION
An abnormal Doppler umbilical artery A/B ratio is a strong predictor of adverse perinatal outcome in small-for-gestational-age-fetuses.