Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to determine whether postterm patients with oligohydramnios differ in their fetal and umbilical flow distributions from those with a normal volume of amniotic fluid.STUDY DESIGN: Pulsed-wave Doppler imaging was used prospectively to determine the resistance index in the fetal middle cerebral, renal, and umbilical arteries in 57 postterm (i.e., >41 weeks' gestation) pregnancies. Semiquantitative assessment of amniotic fluid volume was obtained by use of the ultrasonographically determined amniotic fluid index.RESULTS: Oligohydramnios (amniotic fluid index <5 cm) was detected in 15 patients; 42 patients with a normal amniotic fluid index served as a control group. The various resistance index values and the ratios among them were not significantly different when patients with oligohydramnios were compared with controls (0.51 ± 0.1 vs 0.52 ± 0.06, 0.63 ± 0.1 vs 0.64 ± 0.08, and 0.71 ± 0.08 vs 0.73 ± 0.05 for the umbilical, middle cerebral, and renal arteries, respectively). However, the mean birth weight (in grams) was significantly lower (3297 ± 438 vs 3742 ± 448, p < 0.003) in the oligohydramnios group.CONCLUSION: Oligohydramnios was not associated with a major redistribution of blood flow in postterm patients, suggesting that the cause of oligohydramnios in these patients is related to birth weight rather than to renal perfusion.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
