Factors associated to early intrauterine fetal demise after laser for TTTS by preoperative fetal heart and Doppler ultrasound

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prognostic value of fetal Doppler and echocardiographic parameters for intrauterine fetal demise (IUFD) within 24 hours and within 1 week after laser coagulation in monochorionic pregnancies complicated by twin-twin transfusion syndrome. METHOD: This retrospective study correlated the preoperative hemodynamic and echocardiography parameters to the outcome in fetuses with twin-twin transfusion syndrome undergoing laser therapy. RESULTS: One hundred and twelve laser coagulations were performed between February 2006 and June 2015. The total (single and double) IUFD rate was 27.7%. Further, 59% of IUFD occurred within 24 hours and 74.4% occurred within 1 week after laser. The following were associated to IUFD within 24 hours: the middle cerebral arterial pulsatility index in the donor, abnormal umbilical artery (UA) end diastolic flow, increased middle cerebral artery peak systolic velocity, and right ventricular myocardial performance index (RV-MPI) z-score in the recipient. For IUFD within 1 week were the pulsatility index in the donor UA and the recipient abnormalities in UA, ductus venosus, middle cerebral artery-peak systolic velocity, and RV-MPI z-score. CONCLUSION: Following laser was early IUFD that was associated with Doppler findings suggesting donor cerebroplacental redistribution, and recipient overload cardiomyopathy, such as abnormal ductus venosus and UA Dopplers as well as an increase of RV-MPI.