The clinical significance of antenatal pathological Doppler findings in fetal middle cerebral artery compared to umbilical artery and fetal aorta.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the diagnostic capacity of fetal Doppler velocimetry in fetal middle cerebral artery to umbilical artery and fetal aorta to the prediction of fetal outcome.


METHODS
229 patients between 28 weeks of gestation (weeks) and 40 weeks were examined by Doppler ultrasound in relationship to complications in gestation and labor, and fetal outcome. One thousand two hundred and seventy doppler blood flow velocity waveforms in the middle cerebral artery, umbilical artery and fetal aorta were recorded. Sensitivity of these vessels with regard to the prediction of intrauterine growth retardation, rate of cesarean section, preterm delivery and new-born depression was calculated. In all Doppler measurements there were no cases with absence of end-diastolic flow.


RESULTS
The differences between pathological fetal outcome were not statistically significant, but diagnostic capacity of the middle cerebral artery velocimetry with regard to the prediction of pathological fetal outcome was on average 11% below the diagnostic capacity of the fetal aorta and umbilical artery.


CONCLUSIONS
There is no benefit in examining fetal middle cerebral artery Doppler measurements in clinical routine in patients with normal velocity waveforms in the umbilical artery and fetal aorta.
Meyberg
R
R
Department of Obstetrics aind Gynecology of the University of the Saarland, Homburg/Saar, Germany.
Hendrik
H J
HJ
Ertan
A K
AK
Friedrich
M
M
Schmidt
W
W
D001011:Aorta / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology*; D001724:Birth Weight; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D002536:Cerebral Arteries / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology*; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000098:blood supply*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D014469:Umbilical Arteries / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology*