Fetal brain hemodynamics in pregnancies at term: correlation with gestational age, birthweight and clinical outcome.

Authors

• Andrea Ciardulli
• Francesco D'Antonio
• Claudia Caissutti
• Lamberto Manzoli
• Maria Elena Flacco
• Silvia Buongiorno
• Gabriele Saccone
• Paolo Rosati
• Antonio Lanzone
• Giovanni Scambia
• Vincenzo Berghella

Publication/Presentation Date

3-1-2021

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The primary aim of this study was to ascertain the strength of association between cerebral blood flow assessed in anterior (ACA), middle (MCA), and posterior (PCA) cerebral arteries and the following clinical outcomes: small for gestational age (SGA), induction of labor (IOL) for oligohydramnios and caesarean section (CS) for nonreassuring fetal status (NRFS) during labor.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data on consecutive singleton pregnancies from 40 0/7 to 41 6/7 week of gestation. UA, ACA, MCA, PCA pulsatility index (PI) were measured from 40 weeks of gestations. Furthermore, the ratios between cerebral blood flow and UA (CPR, ACA/UA and PCA/UA) were calculated and correlated with the observed outcomes.

RESULTS: Two hundred twenty-four singleton pregnancies were included in the study. Mean PI of either ACA (

CONCLUSION: Redistribution of cerebral blood flow at term is significantly associated with SGA, IOL for oligohydramnios and CS for NRFS in labor. However, the predictive accuracy of Doppler at term is only poor to moderate, thus advising against its use in clinical practice as a standalone screening test for adverse perinatal outcome in pregnancies at term. Key Message Redistribution of cerebral blood flow at term is significantly associated with SGA, IOL for oligohydramnios and CS for NRFS in labor.

Volume

34

Issue

6

First Page

913

Last Page

919

ISSN

1476-4954

Published In/Presented At

Ciardulli, A., D'Antonio, F., Caissutti, C., Manzoli, L., Flacco, M. E., Buongiorno, S., Saccone, G., Rosati, P., Lanzone, A., Scambia, G., & Berghella, V. (2021). Fetal brain hemodynamics in pregnancies at term: correlation with gestational age, birthweight and clinical outcome. The journal of maternal-fetal & neonatal medicine : the official journal of the European Association of Perinatal Medicine, the Federation of Asia and Oceania Perinatal Societies, the International Society of Perinatal Obstetricians, 34(6), 913–919. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767058.2019.1622669

Disciplines

Business Administration, Management, and Operations | Health and Medical Administration | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods

PubMedID

31288578

Department(s)

Administration and Leadership

Document Type

Article