PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to find an association between the uterine and umbilical arteries blood flow patterns in growth-restricted (FGR) and normal fetuses and placental microscopic lesions. METHODS: Fifty women with prenatally suspected and post-delivery confirmed FGR of singleton fetuses were enrolled in a case-controlled follow-up study from May 2007 to December 2008. Unselected patients with appropriately growing fetuses, matched for gestational age, served as controls. Uterine and umbilical Doppler waveforms were recorded before delivery. RESULTS: Compared with control group with normal Doppler, FGR women with abnormal Doppler velocimetry of uterine and umbilical arteries had more intervillous thrombi (p = 0.01 and p < 0.0001, respectively) and villous infarctions (p = 0.02 and p = 0.0003, respectively). Thickening of the basal membrane and villitis was clearly linked to the FGR (p = 0.006 and p = 0.01). Vasculitis, on the other hand, is linked to normal growth, without affecting Doppler velocities. CONCLUSIONS: Abnormal Doppler may predict hemorrhagic and ischemic placental lesions in FGR pregnancies and may lead to future improvement of the management of current and subsequent pregnancies.
PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to find an association between the uterine and umbilical arteries blood flow patterns in growth-restricted (FGR) and normal fetuses and placental microscopic lesions. METHODS: Fifty women with prenatally suspected and post-delivery confirmed FGR of singleton fetuses were enrolled in a case-controlled follow-up study from May 2007 to December 2008. Unselected patients with appropriately growing fetuses, matched for gestational age, served as controls. Uterine and umbilical Doppler waveforms were recorded before delivery. RESULTS: Compared with control group with normal Doppler, FGRwomen with abnormal Doppler velocimetry of uterine and umbilical arteries had more intervillous thrombi (p = 0.01 and p < 0.0001, respectively) and villous infarctions (p = 0.02 and p = 0.0003, respectively). Thickening of the basal membrane and villitis was clearly linked to the FGR (p = 0.006 and p = 0.01). Vasculitis, on the other hand, is linked to normal growth, without affecting Doppler velocities. CONCLUSIONS: Abnormal Doppler may predict hemorrhagic and ischemic placental lesions in FGR pregnancies and may lead to future improvement of the management of current and subsequent pregnancies.