Umbilical artery blood flow velocity waveforms in twin pregnancies.

Abstract

To detect discordant fetal growth in twin pregnancies and assess a possible role for Doppler ultrasound measurements of blood flow velocity waveforms in umbilical arteries in such cases, 32 twin pregnancies were examined on 125 occasions. The last examination was within 14 days of delivery. There was postpartum death of one pair of twins with the twin transfusion syndrome. Birthweight was appropriate for gestational age in 15 twin pairs, both infants were small for gestational age (SGA) in 5, and one of the infants was SGA in 12 twin pairs. The correlation coefficient of RI difference at the last examination and percentage birth weight difference in twin pairs was 0.68. Cutoff points for the delta RI and weight difference were established. The sensitivity of delta RI (0.1) was 77.8%; specificity, 95.8%; positive predictive value, 87.5%; and negative predictive value, 92.0%.