Combination of three-dimensional placental vascular indices and volume and uterine artery pulsatility index at 10-13 weeks of gestation could improve the prediction of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

AIM: To evaluate whether three-dimensional (3D) placental vascular indices and volumes during the first trimester of pregnancy can be used as predictors of subsequent adverse outcomes.

METHODS

This was a prospective cohort study including women with singleton pregnancies between 10 and 13 weeks. 3D placental volume and vascular indices and uterine artery pulsatility index (UtA-PI) were measured. Adverse outcomes were defined whether there was any of the following complications: small for gestational age pregnancy, preterm delivery, and preeclampsia. The serum pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) and free beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) levels were also compared. We analyzed the screening performances of these parameters for prediction of any of adverse outcomes.

RESULTS

Of 348 women screened, 300 women were completed follow-up. Overall, 57 (19.0%) of 300 women developed any of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Multiple logistic regression analysis demonstrated that gestational age-adjusted z-scores of log10 placental volume (odds ratio [OR], 0.572; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.416-0.788), log10 placental vascularization flow index (VFI; OR, 0.676; 95% CI, 0.496-0.921), and log10 UtA-PI (OR, 1.910; 95% CI, 1.335-2.731) were significantly associated adverse pregnancy outcomes. The multivariate model combining placental VFI, placental volume, UtA-PI, and underweight or obese body mass index exhibited the highest screening performances (AUC = 0.77) and PAPP-A and β-hCG did not add any significance to multivariate model.

CONCLUSIONS

Placental volume and vascular indices at 10-13 weeks of gestation are significantly associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Combination of these placental indices and UtA-PI could improve the screening performance for adverse outcomes.