title: Transvaginal color Doppler assessment of fetal circulation in normal early pregnancy.
abstract: A prospective cross-sectional study was performed in 81 consecutive patients with low-risk singleton pregnancies and gestational age from 9 to 12 weeks of gestation in order to assess the fetal circulation at this stage of pregnancy. Patients' mean age was 29.8 +/- 3.8 (SD) years. Mean gestational age was 10.5 +/- 1.1 weeks. All patients underwent transvaginal color velocity imaging and pulsed Doppler ultrasound to obtain the blood flow velocity waveforms (FVWs) from three fetal vessels: umbilical artery, abdominal aorta, and intracranial vessels. The peak systolic velocity (PSV) and pulsatility index (PI) were analyzed. Optimal FVWs from each vessel were obtained in 98.8, 75.3 and 91.3% of fetuses, respectively. Linear regression analysis showed a significant progressive increase in PSV in the umbilical artery (r = 0.49, p < 0.0001) and intracranial vessels (r = 0.36, p = 0.018) simultaneous to a significant decrease in PI in both vessels (umbilical artery r = -0.37, p = 0.0007; intracranial vessels r = -0.56, p < 0.0001). No significant change was noted in the abdominal aorta in PSV (r = 0.06, p > 0.05) or in PI (r = -0.15, p > 0.05).
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Navarre School of Medicine, Pamplona, Spain.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Alcázar
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rovira
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Pérez
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: López-García
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000502:physiology; D001775:Blood Circulation; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D014469:Umbilical Arteries / Q000502:physiology; D014621:Vagina