Role of third trimester descending fetal aorta (dfa) color doppler flowmetric assessment for prediction of iugr in pregnancies

Purpose: To evaluate the third trimester descending fetal aorta Doppler flowmetric assessment for prediction of IUGR in pregnancies complicated by hypertension.
Methodology: A total of 52 women aged 20 to 33 years. (Mean age 27.6 years) attending the antenatal clinic in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Era’s Lucknow Medical College, Lucknow with pregnancy induced hypertension diagnosed after 26 weeks of gestation were included in the assessment after 28 weeks of gestation. Color Doppler flowmetric studies were carried out for descending fetal aorta (PI, RI, S/D ratio and EDV) at two visits (28-32 weeks and 32-36 weeks). All the pregnancies were followed up till delivery. The focused outcome was IUGR defined as Ponderal index of less than the 10th percentile for gestational age. Data was analyzed using Independent samples‘t’-test through SPSS version 20.0. A ‘p’ value less than 0.05 has been considered to be indicative of a significant association.
Results: IUGR rate was 71.2% (n=37). Mean PI, RI, and S/D ratio values at both visits were significantly higher in IUGR group (p<0.001) whereas mean EDV values were significantly lower in IUGR group as compared to no IUGR group (p<0.001). Among different parameters studied, EDV had the maximum sensitivity and specificity. EDV <7.6 cm/s was found to have a sensitivity and specificity of 94.6% and 93.3% at first visit and 100% and 93.3% at second visit.
Conclusion: Third trimester DFA Color Doppler assessment was highly useful predictor of IUGR in pregnancies complicated by hypertension.