Korean J Perinatol.  2005 Sep;16(3):244-249.

The Clinical Significance of Uterine Artery Doppler Flow Velocity Waveforms as a Screening Test in the Second Trimester Pregnancies

• Park SY
• Choi KY
• Kang MK
• Bahng SY
• Park EH
• Kim MK
• Lee JJ
• Lee IS

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
We performed uterine artery doppler flow velocity waveforms between 20~24 weeks of gestation to access the screening properties for predicting pregnancy-induced hypertension or intrauterine growth retardation in general population.
METHODS
Total 458 normal pregnant women were enrolled in this study. The abnormal uterine artery doppler flow velocity waveforms was defined that systolic/diastolic ratio is greater than 2.6 or diastolic notch waveforms are seen.
RESULTS
The incidence of PIH and IUGR among study population was 3.5% and 3.5%, respectively. The incidence of PIH in normal and abnormal uterine artery Doppler flow velocity waveforms group were 2.0% and 11.4%, and those of IUGR were 3.4% and 4.2%, respectively. The incidence PIH or IUGR among abnormal doppler group was 14.2%, which was higher than in normal group of 5.4%. This method had a sensitivity of 34.3%, a specificity of 86.1% and positive predictive value of 15.7% for the prediction of PIH and IUGR.
CONCLUSION
Although abnormal uterine artery doppler flow velocity waveforms is associated with an increased risk of PIH or IUGR, the lowered positive predictability lead to apply the follow-up examination or standardization of doppler ultrasonography.

Keyword

Uterine artery doppler flow velocity; Screening test Pregnancy-induced hypertension; Intrauterine growth retardation; Second trimester pregnancy

MeSH Terms

Female
Fetal Growth Retardation
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced
Incidence
Mass Screening*
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Trimester, Second*
Pregnant Women
Sensitivity and Specificity
Ultrasonography, Doppler
Uterine Artery*