ORIGINAL ARTICLES

Comparative study of the umbilical artery Doppler indices of healthy and growth-restricted foetuses in Lagos

Abayomi Ayyuub Adedo¹, Rasheed Ajani Arogundade², Adeyemi Adebola Okunowo³, Bukunmi Michael Idowu⁴, Latifat Tunrayo Oduola-Owoo¹

¹ Department of Radiology, Federal Medical Centre, Ebute-Metta, Lagos State, Nigeria
² Department of Radiation Biology, Radiotherapy, and Radiodiagnosis, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria
³ Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria
⁴ Department of Radiology, Union Diagnostics and Clinical Services Plc, Yaba, Lagos State, Nigeria

Correspondence Address:
Dr. Bukunmi Michael Idowu
Department of Radiology, Union Diagnostics and Clinical Services Plc, Yaba, Lagos State Nigeria

Source of Support: None
Conflict of Interest: None

Aim of the Study: This study compared the umbilical artery Doppler indices (UADI) in normal and foetal growth-restricted (FGR) foetuses to determine the relationship between the UADI and pregnancy outcomes..

Materials and Methods: This was a case-control study that recruited one hundred and eighty pregnant women comprising 90 with FGR pregnancies and 90 with normal pregnancies. Foetal biometric parameters and UADI were measured in all the participants. The UADI and clinical outcomes (preterm delivery, birth weight, perinatal death, etc.) of the normal and FGR foetuses were compared.

Results: The mean estimated foetal weights of the FGR pregnancies (subjects) and normal pregnancies (controls) were 2.76?±?0.66?kg and 3.62?±?0.37?kg, respectively (P < 0.0001). The mean APGAR score at 5?min was 6.93?±?1.72 for subjects and 8.03?±?0.94 for controls (P < 0.0001). Abnormal umbilical artery Doppler waveforms were detected: decreased end-diastolic flow in 25 (27.8%), absent end-diastolic in 7 (7.8%) and reversed end-diastolic flow in 4 (4.4%) of the FGR pregnancies. There were 74 (82.2%) preterm deliveries among the subjects, while only 7 (7.8%) of the controls had preterm deliveries. Six deaths (two perinatal and four neonatal deaths) were recorded among the subjects, while no death occurred among the controls.

Conclusion: Foetuses with FGR showed significantly higher quantitative Doppler indices (increased RI, PI, SD ratio), and a higher prevalence of abnormal umbilical artery waveform pattern (qualitative) than the healthy foetuses (controls).