Abnormal ductus venosus blood flow in trisomy 21 fetuses during early pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to assess the ductus venosus blood flow in trisomy 21 fetuses in the first half of pregnancy and the relation of this blood flow to nuchal thickness.


METHODS
The ductus venosus blood flow has been studied in 534 consecutive fetuses between 10 and 18 weeks of gestation who were undergoing prenatal invasive diagnostic procedures. Before the sampling, the velocity during atrial contraction, the pulsatility index for veins, and the ratio of systole-end-systole to diastole were established in the Doppler waveforms and eventually correlated with the fetal karyotype.


RESULTS
Ductus venosus waveforms were successfully obtained in 82% of the pregnancies. Eleven fetuses were found to have trisomy 21; the pulsatility index was abnormally increased (>95th percentile) in 73% (8/11), the ratio of systole-end-systole to diastole was abnormally increased in 45% (5/11), and the velocity during atrial contraction was decreased (<5th percentile) in 27% (3/11).


CONCLUSIONS
An abnormally increased ductus venosus pulsatility index was found in a substantial proportion of early trisomy 21 fetuses, and this was apparently independent of nuchal thickening.
Borrell
A
A
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Genetics Service, Hospital Clinic, University of Barcelona Medical School, Barcelona, Spain.
Antolin
E
E
Costa
D
D
Farre
M T
MT
Martinez
J M
JM
Fortuny
A
A
D001775:Blood Circulation; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000196:embryology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000098:blood supply*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011673:Pulsatile Flow; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal