Fetal cardiac and extracardiac flows preceding intrauterine death.

Extracardiac and cardiac flow velocity waveforms were recorded in a severely growth-retarded fetus 1 day and a few hours before fetal death. At the first scan, the typical Doppler patterns of a growth-retarded fetus were found, but the brain-sparing effect was lost at the last examination and a huge tricuspid insufficiency was demonstrated.