Longitudinal umbilical vein blood flow changes in normal and growth-retarded fetuses

Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 2002; 81: 527-533. © Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 2002 Objective. To explore whether the umbilical vein blood flow of growth-retarded fetuses with normal Doppler parameters changes over time differently to that of normally grown fetuses. Methods. Fifteen consecutive women whose fetus was diagnosed to be growth restricted were compared with 30 women whose fetus was normally grown. Two ultrasonographic evaluations were conducted at 2-weekly intervals (± 2 days) in all cases. At each sonographic evaluation, umbilical vein blood flow parameters were obtained by digital color Doppler velocity profile integration. To allow comparisons among fetuses, the umbilical vein blood flow per minute was normalized for abdominal circumference. Results. The absolute vein blood flow was lower in growth-retarded than in normally grown fetuses (209 ml/min ± 73 vs. 313 ml/min ± 72, p < 0.01). The median (range) umbilical vein blood flow normalized for abdominal circumference was significantly lower in gr...