title: The predictive value of the uterine artery pulsatility index during the early third trimester for the occurrence of adverse pregnancy outcomes depending on the maternal obesity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the correlation between the pre-gravid maternal obesity and the uterine artery pulsatility index (UtA-PI) at 28-34 weeks' gestation, and to evaluate the predictive value of the UtA-PI for the occurrence of adverse outcomes depending on the maternal obesity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 2010 and December 2011, 229 pregnant women were prospectively observed and analyzed. The UtA-PI during 28-34 weeks' gestation was estimated, with abnormal UtA-PI defined if the value was above the 95th centile for gestational age. The patients were classified, using a cut-off value for body mass index (BMI) of 25kg/m(2), into obese (pre-gravid BMI≥25kg/m(2)) and non-obese (pre-gravid BMI<25kg/m(2)) groups. We analyzed the association between the pre-gravid BMI and occurrence of abnormal UtA-PI and estimated their contributions to adverse outcomes using regression analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The occurrence of abnormal UtA-PI in the women with pre-gravid BMI over 25kg/m(2) was significantly higher than those with normal pre-gravid BMI (OR: 2.49; 95% CI: 1.22-5.12). In multivariate analyses, the combination with abnormal UtA-PI and pre-gravid BMI over 25kg/m(2) contributed to the occurrence of preterm delivery (OR: 33.5; 95% CI: 7.63-147.21), gestational diabetes (OR: 3.98; 95% CI: 1.17-13.56) and pregnancy induced hypertension (OR: 12.71; 95% CI: 3.45-46.87), compared to the control group with pre-gravid BMI of 25kg/m(2) and less, and normal UtA-PI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women with pre-gravid BMI over 25kg/m(2) show increased tendency of abnormal uterine artery pulsatility index during 28-34 weeks, which increases the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Uijeongbu St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yeon Hee
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Uijeongbu St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hee Joung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yeouido St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yeouido St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Young
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Chul
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Uijeongbu St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Tae Chul
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: yoni@catholic.ac.kr.
authors.forename: In Yang
authors.initials: IY
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D011673:Pulsatile Flow; D012016:Reference Values; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D055988:Uterine Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology
keywords: Maternal obesity; Pregnancy outcomes; Pulsatile index; Uterine artery