Third-trimester uterine artery Doppler measurement and maternal postpartum outcome among patients with severe pre-eclampsia

Abstract Objective To evaluate the association between uterine artery Doppler measurements and maternal complications among women with severe pre-eclampsia. Methods As part of a cross-sectional study, women with a single intrauterine pregnancy of more than 28 weeks and a diagnosis of severe pre-eclampsia were enrolled at a unit in Cairo, Egypt, between December 2012 and September 2014. Uterine artery Doppler was evaluated and maternal complications were recorded. Results Among the 100 participants, 76 (76%) experienced maternal complications. There were significant differences in resistance index (RI) and pulsatility index (PI) between women who experienced no complications and those who had accidental hemorrhage, HELLP syndrome, and acute pulmonary edema ( P P  = 0.004 and P P  = 0.360). There was a statistically significant difference regarding RI ( P P  = 0.005) between cases presenting with complications and those without. There was a significant negative correlation between PI and gestational age (r = − 0.988; P P Conclusion Increased uterine artery resistance in the third trimester of pregnancy could be used to predict postpartum maternal complications.