title: Prediction of perinatal outcome by middle cerebral artery Doppler velocimetry.
abstract: The relationship between pulsatility index (PI) in the middle cerebral artery (MCA) and adverse perinatal outcome was studied in 162 normal and 75 high-risk pregnancies. The intrapartum cardiotocographic (CTG) findings, the mode of delivery, 1 and 5-minute Apgar scores, the pH level of the umbilical artery, admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and the incidence of intrauterine fetal growth retardation were recorded. In the low risk group, the PI values in the MCA were only affected in growth retarded fetuses (P = 0.0084). In the high-risk group, there was an association between the MCA PI values and 5-minute Apgar scores (P = 0.0397), umbilical artery pH values (P = 0.0068) and development of IUGR (P = 0.0376). In both groups, an abnormal intrapartum CTG, the 1-minute Apgar score, cesarean section for fetal distress and admission to the NICU were not related to PI values in the MCA. Our present study suggests that Doppler flow measurement of MCA provides useful information about perinatal outcome, especially in the high-risk pregnancies.
authors.affiliation: Ankara University, School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Turkey.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alataş
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aksoy
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Akarsu
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yakin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bahçeci
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001034:Apgar Score; D002536:Cerebral Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000196:embryology; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D018566:Pregnancy, High-Risk; D011673:Pulsatile Flow / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal