Objective To compare umbilical and uterine artery Doppler in predicting outcome of pregnancies suspected of fetal growth restriction (FGR).Design A prospective study included 353 singleton pregnancies complicated by an FGR fetus.Setting University Hospital setting.Sample Pregnancies suspected of FGR diagnosed by ultrasound fetal biometry during a 5-year period.Main outcome measure Perinatal outcome in relation to uterine and umbilical artery Doppler.Methods The women underwent Doppler examination of the umbilical and uterine arteries. Results from the uterine, but not the umbilical artery, were blind to the woman and managing obstetrician. The Doppler results were related to perinatal outcomes including small for gestational age newborns, caesarean delivery, premature delivery (<37 weeks of gestation) and admission of the newborn to a neonatal intensive care unit.Results Abnormal uterine artery Doppler velocimetry was seen in 120 (33.4%) pregnancies and abnormal umbilical artery Doppler in 102 (28.4%). There was a statistically significant correlation between abnormal Doppler of both the umbilical and uterine arteries and adverse outcome of pregnancy. The two vessels were comparable in predicting adverse outcome. Women with normal umbilical artery Doppler (251) were analysed separately. Abnormal uterine artery Doppler, seen in 61 (24.3%) of those women, showed a statistically significant correlation for adverse outcome of pregnancy.Conclusions Doppler examinations of the uterine and/or the umbilical arteries seem to be comparable as predictors of outcome in pregnancies complicated by FGR. Including uterine artery Doppler in the surveillance of growth-restricted fetuses might detect a group of pregnancies at high risk, even though the umbilical artery Doppler was normal.

RI and PI as measures of third trimester utero-placental vascular impedance are the best predictors of adverse outcome of IUGR-suspected pregnancies.

Placental Doppler screening at 23-24 weeks can be used in detecting pregnancies at risk of adverse outcome and in selecting cases for more intense surveillance. A surveillance plan is proposed based on Doppler screening at 23-24 weeks of gestation.

Color Doppler Ultrasound was performed on 202 post-term pregnancies to detect the presence of a nuchal cord. A nuchal cord was diagnosed if the umbilical cord could be followed 360 degrees around the fetal neck. The results were not disclosed to the managing obstetrician, midwife, and patient. The perinatal outcome was analyzed according to Apgar score, umbilical cord artery and vein pH and base excess (BE), perinatal death, cesarean section, operative delivery for fetal distress (ODFD) and admission to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). A nuchal cord was detected in 69 patients (34.2%). The incidence was not affected by parity or reduced amniotic fluid volume. There was no statistically significant increased risk for 1- and 5-min Apgar scores <7, umbilical artery pH <7.1, umbilical vein pH <7.20, umbilical artery base excess <-11, umbilical vein base excess <-11, perinatal death, cesarean section, ODFD or admission to NICU. Nuchal cord in post-term pregnancies is not associated with an increased risk for signs of fetal distress and operative intervention during labor and delivery.

The new placental pulsatility index, reflecting placental vascular impedance on both the fetal and maternal side of placenta, improves prediction of adverse outcome in pregnancies suspected of intra-uterine fetal growth restriction.