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The role of ductus venosus blood flow assessment in screening for chromosomal abnormalities at 10–16 weeks of gestation
Author(s) -
Antolín E.,
Comas C.,
Torrents M.,
Muñoz A.,
Figueras F.,
Echevarría M.,
Cararach M.,
Carrera J. M.
Publication year - 2001
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.1469-0705.2001.00395.x
Subject(s) - ductus venosus , medicine , gestation , obstetrics , blood flow , nuchal translucency measurement , fetus , obstetrics and gynaecology , gestational age , pregnancy , first trimester , biology , genetics
Objective To evaluate the role of ductus venosus blood flow assessment at 10–16 weeks' gestation in screening for chromosomal abnormalities. Methods Ductus venosus blood flow was prospectively evaluated in 1371 consecutive pregnancies between 10 and 16 weeks of gestation. The pulsatility index for veins was calculated. All cases were screened for chromosomal defects combining maternal age and fetal nuchal translucency thickness. Results A chromosomal abnormality was found in 20 cases. The overall detection rate, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and odds ratio for chromosomal abnormalities were 65%, 95.7%, 18.3%, 99.5% and 41 (95% CI 16–108), respectively, when using the 95th centile pulsatility index as a cut‐off. Conclusions These preliminary results suggest that evaluation of the ductus venosus pulsatility index at 10–16 weeks' gestation is a useful second‐line screening test for chromosomal defects. A combination of nuchal translucency measurement and ductus venosus assessment might increase specificity while maintaining an optimal detection rate for chromosomal abnormalities. Such a policy could identify 55% of all chromosomal abnormalities and about 69% of autosomal trisomies, reducing the need for invasive testing to less than 1%. Copyright © 2001 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology