Examination of placental three-dimensional power Doppler indices and perinatal outcome in pregnancies complicated by intrauterine growth restriction.

OBJECTIVE

To examine placental vascularization using three-dimensional power Doppler (3DPD) ultrasonography in pregnancies complicated by intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR).

METHODS

The present prospective study was conducted at the University of Szeged (Szeged, Hungary) from February 2012 to March 2013. Women with a singleton pregnancy who attended the maternity outpatient ward in the second or third trimester were enrolled consecutively. Women were divided into two groups: those with a normal pregnancy and those with a pregnancy complicated by IUGR. Three 3DPD indices-vascularization index (VI), flow index (FI), and vascularization flow index (VFI)-were assessed.

RESULTS

A total of 223 women were enrolled: 171 were in the control group and 52 in the IUGR group. Median VI was 3.7% (interquartile range [IQR] 3.2%-4.2%) in the IUGR group and 10.1% (IQR 8.6%-10.9%) in the control group (P=0.001). Median FI was 40.0 (IQR 39.7-42.5) in the IUGR group and 45.1 (IQR 44.1-53.1) in the control group (P=0.012). Median VFI was 2.2 (IQR 2.1-2.4) in the IUGR group and 4.8 (IQR 4.4-5.3) in the control group (P<0.001).

CONCLUSION

Placental vascularization was reduced in pregnancies complicated by IUGR.