title: Doppler changes in the vertebral, middle cerebral, and umbilical arteries in fetuses delivered after 34 weeks: relationship to severity of growth restriction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the association between Doppler changes in the fetal vertebral (VA), middle cerebral (MCA), and umbilical arteries (UA) and severity of growth restriction (FGR) in fetuses delivered after 34 weeks.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five hundred seventy-one Doppler examinations of the VA, MCA, and UA were performed between 26 and 41 weeks of gestation. Values were converted into multiples of the median and divided into birth weight (BW) categories: BW>P10(th) , BW<P10(th) , BW<P5 th, and BW<P3(rd) . Differences were evaluated and multivariate logistic regression models plus receiver-operating characteristic curves were calculated to determine the accuracy of Doppler measurements for the prediction of FGR percentiles.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The UA pulsatility index (PI) was significant predicting BW<P10(th) and BW<P3(rd) , the VA PI was significant predicting BW<P5(th) and BW<P3(rd) . Finally, the MCA PI was not predictive of any degree of severity of FGR. In addition, only VA and UA differences were statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In fetuses delivered after 34 weeks, mild degrees of growth restriction are better associated with high UA PI whereas severe degrees are associated with low VA PI but not with low MCA PI.
authors: Servicio de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe, Valencia, Spain. cm@comv.es
authors: José
authors: J
authors: Morales Roselló
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Hervás Marín
authors: Manuel
authors: M
authors: Fillol Crespo
authors: Alfredo
authors: A
authors: Perales Marín
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D020768:Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000196:embryology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011673:Pulsatile Flow; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D014469:Umbilical Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000196:embryology*; D014711:Vertebral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000196:embryology*