A comparative study of the second and third trimester of pregnancy, umbilical artery doppler velocimetry indices in Benin-City.

Abstract

Introduction: Doppler evaluation of the umbilical artery is a standard foetal surveillance undertaken globally to assess for foetal well-being. We undertook this study to establish the normal reference values of foetal umbilical artery Doppler indices in our environment.
Methods: One hundred and fifty five women with uncomplicated pregnancies were recruited voluntarily into the study. The free floating middle third segments of the umbilical arteries were interrogated by Doppler triplex scan using a 3.5MHz curvi-linear probe of Philips HDI 4000. Statistical analysis was by SPSS version 16.
Results: The mean age of the women was 29 years and their average gravidity was 2. The mean value of the foetal umbilical artery was PSV 41.7cm/s, EDV 18.6cm/s, MeanV 25.2cm/s, RI 0.57, PI 0.98 and S/D 2.83. The values of PSV, EDV and MeanV were higher in 3rd trimester when compared with 2nd trimester foetuses, whereas RI, PI and S/D were lesser. All the measured Doppler indices correlated with gestation age of the foetuses.
Conclusion: Local values of umbilical artery Doppler velocimetry indices were obtained in this study which may be adopted as normative values in Benin City.

Keywords: Umbilical artery, doppler velocimetry, normal Doppler indices, umbilical Doppler, foetal Doppler.