title: Umbilical artery peak systolic velocity measurements for prediction of perinatal outcome among IUGR fetuses.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To evaluate the role of umbilical artery (UA) peak systolic velocity (PSV) measurements in the prediction of perinatal outcome in fetuses with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR).
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study was performed, including patients with a suspected diagnosis of IUGR. Exclusion criteria were multiple gestations, unreliable gestational age, and known fetal malformations. Doppler measurements of the UA and middle cerebral artery (MCA) were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy-two patients were enrolled and a total of 192 Doppler measurements were performed between 24 and 39 weeks' gestation. Mean gestational age at delivery was 36.9 ± 2.7 days and mean birth weight was 2,166 ± 497 grams. Nine patients (12.5%) had oligohydramnios; 50 (69.4%) delivered preterm (<37 weeks), and 26 underwent a cesarean section, of those 7 (29.2%) cesarean sections were for a nonreassuring fetal heart rate tracing. Fifty-one (70.8%) neonates were actually small for gestational age. No correlation was found between UA-PSV and MCA-PSV to perinatal outcome. Correlation was found between UA pulsatility index and cerebroplacental ratio to perinatal outcome before 34 weeks' gestation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  UA PSV measurements do not correlate with adverse perinatal outcome. A correlation exists between UA pulsatility index and cerebroplacental ratio and perinatal outcome prior to 34 weeks' gestation. It seems that UA PSV and MCA PSV do not contribute to the management of fetuses with IUGR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Soroka University Medical Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel.
authors.forename: Roy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kessous
authors.forename: Barak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Aricha-Tamir
authors.forename: Adi Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Weintraub
authors.forename: Eyal
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sheiner
authors.forename: Reli
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hershkovitz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005333:Fetus / Q000098:blood supply*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D020768:Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000196:embryology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013599:Systole; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color / Q000379:methods*; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000379:methods*; D014469:Umbilical Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000196:embryology / Q000503:physiopathology
keywords: cerebroplacental ratio; intrauterine growth restriction; middle cerebral artery; peak systolic velocity; umbilical artery