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- Title
The ability of continuous-wave Doppler ultrasound to detect fetal growth restriction.
- Authors
Feucht, Ute; Mulol, Helen; Vannevel, Valerie; Pattinson, Robert
- Abstract
Background: Fetal growth restriction (FGR), defined as a fetus failing to reach its genetic growth potential, remains poorly diagnosed antenatally. This study aimed to assess the ability of continuous-wave Doppler ultrasound of the umbilical artery (CWD-UmA) to detect FGR in healthy women with low-risk pregnancies. Methods and findings: This prospective longitudinal descriptive cohort study enrolled infants born to low-risk mothers who were screened with CWD-UmA between 28–34 weeks' gestation; the resistance index (RI) was classified as normal or abnormal. Infants were assessed at 6, 10, 14 weeks, and 6 months postnatally for anthropometric indicators and body composition using the deuterium dilution method to assess fat-free mass (FFM). Neonates in the abnormal RI group were compared with those in the normal RI group, and neonates classified as small-for-gestational age (SGA) were compared with appropriate-for-gestational age (AGA) neonates. Eighty-one term infants were included. Only 6 of 26 infants (23.1%) with an abnormal RI value would have been classified as SGA. The abnormal RI group had significantly reduced mean FFM and FFM-for-age Z-scores at 6, 10, 14 weeks, and 6 months compared with the normal RI group (P<0.015). The SGA group's FFM did not show this consistent trend when compared to AGA FFM, being significantly different only at 6 months (P = 0.039). The main limitation of the study was the small sample size of the infant follow-up. Conclusions: Abnormal RI obtained from CWD-UmA is able to detect FGR and is considered a useful addition to classifying the neonate only by SGA or AGA at birth.
- Subjects
FETAL growth retardation; DOPPLER ultrasonography; FETAL ultrasonic imaging; UMBILICAL arteries; INFANTS; BODY composition
- Publication
PLoS ONE, 2021, Vol 16, Issue 8, p1
- ISSN
1932-6203
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1371/journal.pone.0255960