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Doppler assessment of the normal early fetal circulation
Author(s) -
Huisman T. W. A.,
Stewart P. A.,
Wladimiroff J. W.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
ultrasound in obstetrics and gynecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.202
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1469-0705
pISSN - 0960-7692
DOI - 10.1046/j.1469-0705.1992.02040300.x
Subject(s) - ductus venosus , medicine , umbilical artery , pulsatile flow , cardiology , fetus , umbilical vein , fetal circulation , inferior vena cava , blood flow , ultrasound , diastole , gestational age , descending aorta , vascular resistance , aorta , hemodynamics , pregnancy , radiology , blood pressure , placenta , biochemistry , genetics , chemistry , biology , in vitro
Combined transvaginal and transabdominal Doppler ultrasound allows recording of fetal intra‐ and extracardiac flow velocity waveforms in late first‐ and early second‐ trimester pregnancies. At 10–12 weeks, end‐diastolic flow velocities were always absent in the fetal descending aorta and umbilical artery, but were present in over half of the intracerebral artery waveforms. The pulsatility index in the three vessels decreased significantly with advancing gestational age, suggesting a reduction in fetal and umbilical placental vascular resistance. Peak velocities during atria1 contraction (A‐wave) were nearly twice as high as those during early diastolic filling (E‐wave), reflecting low ventricular compliance. Continuous forward flow in the umbilical vein was associated with a pulsatile systolic and diastolic forward flow in the ductus venosus. Retrograde flow was only present in the inferior vena cava. Copyright © 1992 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology