title: Value of Doppler sonography near term: can umbilical and uterine artery indices in low-risk pregnancies predict perinatal outcome?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The goal of this study was to evaluate the umbilical and uterine Doppler velocimetry waveforms for predicting the perinatal outcome of low-risk pregnancies at term.
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively recruited 514 women with low risk pregnancies and performed umbilical and uterine artery Doppler assessments between 37 and 41 weeks of gestation. Ultrasound measurements (completed in 365 patients) were correlated with the perinatal outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The velocimetry waveforms of the umbilical artery were significantly associated with birthweight, placental weight, and postpartal umbilical artery pH. Low pH, placental weight, and birthweight were correlated with increasing pulsatility index (PI) and resistance index (RI). An umbilical artery PI > 1.2 and a uterine artery RI > 0.5 were associated with statistically higher rates of infants that were small for gestational age (SGA). Also, high cesarean delivery rates were correlated with an umbilical artery PI > 1.2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our low-risk pregnancies population, the elevated umbilical artery indices at term appeared to be associated with the higher rates of infants that were SGA and cesarean deliveries. The Doppler waveforms at term had low prognostic value for predicting neonatal acidosis or decreased Apgar scores.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Charité University Medical Center, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Nora
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bolz
authors.forename: Karim D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Kalache
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Proquitte
authors.forename: Torsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Slowinski
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Hartung
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Henrich
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bamberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011673:Pulsatile Flow; D012307:Risk Factors; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D014469:Umbilical Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology; D055988:Uterine Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology; D014655:Vascular Resistance