[Predictive value of Doppler fluxometry of umbilical and middle cerebral arteries with the perinatal outcomes in fetus with intrauterine growth restriction].

OBJECTIVE

To determine the predictive value of the Doppler fluxometry of the umbilical artery and middle cerebral artery with the perinatal outcome in fetuses with intrauterine growth restriction.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

We carried out a cross-sectional study. There were included 220 pregnant women with diagnosis of intrauterine growth restriction. We carried out in these women Doppler fluxometry of umbilical artery and middle cerebral artery. It was followed the perinatal outcome of the newborns. We used student's t test for comparing the fluxometry indexes; and logistic regression analysis to determine its association with the perinatal outcome. An alpha value was set at 0.05.

RESULTS

The fluxometry indexes of the umbilical artery were abnormal in all the cases of intrauterine growth restriction. The fluxometry indexes of the middle cerebral artery were abnormal in a small number of fetuses with perinatal complications. In the logistic regression analysis the fluxometry index of the umbilical artery was significant in order to predict bad perinatal outcome, in the other hand, the middle cerebral artery was not significant. The perinatal complications diagnosed were: distress respiratory syndrome (37.2%) necrotizing enterocolitis (6.2%) and sepsis (6.2%).

CONCLUSIONS

The Doppler fluxometry of the umbilical artery have better predictive value than the middle cerebral artery for predicting bad perinatal outcome. We recommend the assessment of umbilical artery as first choice in order to determine the well-being in fetuses with intrauterine growth restriction.