Doppler flow characteristic in inferior vena cava between 22-42 weeks in intrau-terine growth restriction and normal pregnancies

Uterine blood flow restriction and placental insufficiency can cause intrauterine grow restriction. Permanent hypoxia triggers compensatory mechanisms to pro-tect vital organs. Increased placental resistance and constriction of the fetal pe-ripheral vessels, as evidenced by blood redistribution and increased right ven-tricular afterload and end-diastolic pressure lead to increased pulsality in pre-cordial veins. Doppler flow analysis of the IVC allows the indirect estimation of the fetal heart function. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to compare the Doppler indices in IVC in growth restricted and normal fetuses. RESULTS: The authors found that for the normal group PVIV, PIV and S/D de-creased with advancing gestation. However in comparision in IUGR group these parameters were substantially higher. CONCLUSIONS: The improvement of maternal and fetal Doppler techniques allows us to distinguish the subgroups of IUGR fetuses with the uteroplacental insufficiency that will have an increased perinatal morbidity and mortality. Alterations in the venous blood velocity waveforms have a more precise relationship with the risk of adverse perinatal outcome than changes in the arterial blood flow usually recognized relatively early in placental function disorders.