Doppler ultrasound for monitoring critical pregnancies

Doppler ultrasound is a non-invasive, non-traumatic tool essential for monitoring high-risk pregnancies and predicting NICU admissions.

Doppler ultrasound plays a pivotal role in monitoring high-risk pregnancies and enhancing maternal and fetal health outcomes. This study aimed to explore the function of Doppler in high-risk pregnancies.

A prospective comparative study was conducted with 232 women (17 to 38 years old) for 12 months. Various high-risk conditions were assessed using Doppler ultrasound.

As assessed, 15 women had hypothyroidism, 15 had the sickle cell trait, 6 had heart disease, 6 had pre-eclampsia, 5 had sickle cell ailment, 5 were HIV positive, 4 were Rh-negative, 3 had anaemia, 2 had chronic hypertension, 2 had GDM, 2 had high blood pressure, 1 had gestational hypertension, 1 had overt diabetes, and 1 had a miscarriage in the past.

Noteworthy correlations were found between abnormal Doppler findings and NICU admissions. The absence of end-diastolic flow in the umbilical artery was the most common Doppler change observed in the umbilical artery. Augmented diastolic flow in the centre cerebral artery was greatly associated with neonatal deaths. However, Doppler changes in uterine and umbilical arteries were insignificant with baby weight variations.

Abnormal obstetric umbilical artery velocimetry proves effective in predicting poor perinatal outcomes such as intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), NICU admissions, perinatal complications, and neonatal deaths.