Effect of parity on first-trimester uterine artery Doppler indices and their predictive value for pregnancy complications.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between parity and first-trimester uterine artery Doppler indices and determine their predictive value for pregnancy complications.


METHODS
In 679 singleton pregnancies (388 parous and 291 nulliparous) attending for routine care at 11-14 weeks of gestation, we recorded maternal characteristics, medical and obstetric history, the presence of protodiastolic notching and measured uterine artery resistance index (RI).


RESULTS
Parous women had a lower prevalence of bilateral notches (64 vs. 77.6%; p = 0.0002), median level of RI did not show any significant difference. In parous cases complicated with pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) (0.78 vs. 0.70; p = 0.0003) or miscarriage (0.86 vs. 0.71; p = 0.0003) mean levels of RI were significantly higher than in the nulliparous cases. By using mean RI we could predict the cases with PIH (area under curve (AUC) 0.63; p = 0.012), early PIH (AUC 0.84; p < 0.0001) and miscarriage (AUC 0.87; p < 0.0001) in the group of parous women.


CONCLUSIONS
Parity has a significant effect on uterine artery Doppler findings in the first trimester of pregnancy. In the group of parous women the mean level of RI had a higher predictive value for miscarriage, early PIH and PIH.
Division of Perinatology, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine, Bezmialem Vakif University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Banu
B
Dane
Gonca
G
Batmaz
Fulya
F
Ozkal
Zehra
Z
Bakar
Cem
C
Dane
D000328:Adult; D019540:Area Under Curve; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D046110:Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D010298:Parity / Q000502:physiology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D055988:Uterine Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*