Erythrocytes in fetuses with abnormal umbilical artery flow velocity waveforms.
OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to measure erythrocyte indexes in fetuses with two grades of Doppler-defined umbilical placental insufficiency.


METHODS
A prospective study comprising 110 infants categorized into control, moderate, and severe groups by umbilical artery waveform studies was undertaken at the University of Sydney at Westmead Hospital. Fetal erythrocyte indexes were measured in umbilical venous blood. Multivariate analyses of variance with post hoc Bonferroni t tests were used in the statistical analysis.


RESULTS
The erythrocyte count, hematocrit, and hemoglobin concentration were all significantly higher (p < 0.001) in the two placental insufficiency groups than in the controls. Both placental insufficiency groups were affected to the same extent.


CONCLUSIONS
Differences exist in the erythrocyte populations of fetuses with Doppler-defined placental insufficiency compared with controls. Importantly, these differences occur in more than just the most severe cases. These changes may represent a compensatory response to the placental vascular lesion detected by abnormal umbilical artery waveforms.
Wilcox
G R
GR
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Sydney at Westmead Hospital, New South Wales, Australia.
Trudinger
B J
BJ
D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010927:Placental Insufficiency / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D014469:Umbilical Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*