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Value of a random single Doppler study of the umbilical artery for predicting perinatal outcome.
Author(s) -
Abramowicz J S,
Warsof S L,
Sherer D M,
Levy D L,
Woods J R
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
journal of ultrasound in medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.574
H-Index - 91
eISSN - 1550-9613
pISSN - 0278-4297
DOI - 10.7863/jum.1991.10.6.337
Subject(s) - medicine , umbilical artery , meconium , apgar score , obstetrics , gestation , prospective cohort study , confidence interval , doppler effect , diastole , umbilical cord , predictive value of tests , pregnancy , cardiology , blood pressure , gestational age , fetus , genetics , physics , anatomy , astronomy , biology
A prospective blinded study was performed on 191 high‐risk patients with pregnancies ranging from 25 to 42 weeks gestation to investigate the value of a single Doppler analysis of the umbilical artery blood flow waveform (systolic‐to‐diastolic ratio, S/D) for predicting poor perinatal outcome. This was defined as the presence of heavy meconium, delivery of a growth‐retarded infant, an umbilical cord arterial pH less than 7.2, or a 5‐minute Apgar score less than 7. The interval between Doppler examination and delivery ranged from 12 hours to 15 weeks. No clinical data were available to the examiner performing the Doppler study. Moreover, the Doppler measurements were unknown to the attending physicians. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the Doppler study in predicting outcome were 30.4%, 92.9%, 36.8%, and 92.6%, respectively, with an adverse outcome prevalence of 12%. These results indicate that a single random S/D ratio from the umbilical artery is not an adequate screening test for the risk of perinatal complications.