Korean J Obstet Gynecol.  1997 Jul;40(7):1372-1378.

Uterine Artery Doppler Velocimetry as a Screening Test in the Second Trimester Pregnancies

• Cho JS
• Kim TY
• park YW
• Kim JW

Abstract

We performed uterine artery Doppler velocimetry between 20~24 weeks of gestation to access the screening properties for predicting pregnancy-induced hypertension(PIH) or intrauterine growth retardation(IUGR) in general population. Total of 846 pregnant women were enrolled in this study. The abnormal uterine artery Doppler velocimetry result was found in 197 pregnancies during the Doppler measurement. The incidence of PIH and IUGR among study population was 3.3% and 4.3%, respectively. The incidences of PIH in normal and abnormal uterine artery Doppler velocimetry group were 2.2% and 7.1%, and those of IUGR were 3.9% and 5.6%, respectively. The incidence PIH and/or IUGR among abnormal Doppler group was 12.2%, which was higher than in normal group of 5.5%. This method had a sensitivity of 40.0%, a specificity of 80.0% and a positive predictive value of 12.2% for the prediction of PIH and/or IUGR. Although abnormal uterine artery Doppler velocimetry is associated with an increased risk of PIH and/or IUGR, the lowered positive predictability lead to apply the follow-up examination or standardization of Doppler ultrasonography.

Keyword

Doppler ultrasonography; Pregnancy-induced hypertension; Intrauterine growth retardation

MeSH Terms

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