OBJECTIVES: To study the correlation between cardiotocography parameters and perinatal outcome in pregnancies with absent or reversed end-diastolic velocity (AERDV) in the umbilical arteries. METHODS: One hundred and twenty-seven cases presenting with AREDV followed between 1993 and 2000 were selected for analysis. The last cardiotocographic tracing performed on the day of delivery was reviewed and the following parameters were considered: magnitude of long-term variability, presence or absence of acceleration, late deceleration, variable deceleration, prolonged deceleration, pseudo sinusoidal pattern and the classification in normal, suspected and abnormal tracing. RESULTS: A significant (p<0.05) association was found between abnormal tracing and acidemia at birth (pH inferior to 7.20) with 71.9%, first minute Apgar score inferior to seven (73.4%), newborn intubation at delivery (64.1%), and early neonatal death (20.3%). The absence of acceleration was associated (p<0.05) to acidemia at birth (58.8%), first minute Apgar score inferior to seven (67.7%), newborn intubation at delivery (51%) and neonatal death (29.4%). Low FHR variability (<5bpm) was associated to (p<0.05): acidemia at birth (88.5%), newborn intubation at delivery (69.2%), early neonatal death (34.6%) and neonatal death (42.3%). Late decelerations were significantly (p<0,05) related to acidemia at birth.(78.2%). The severe variable deceleration was associated to (p<0.05): acidemia at birth (79.3%), newborn intubation at delivery (69%) and early neonatal death (17.2%). Prolonged deceleration was associated to (p<0.05) newborn intubation at delivery (70.6%). Pseudo sinusoidal pattern was associated to (p<0.05) early neonatal death (60%). CONCLUSION: The AREDV represents a severe fetal compromise with high risk to neonatal morbidity and mortality, and correlation between cardiotocography abnormalities and adverse perinatal outcome was demonstrated.
Absent or reversed end-diastolic velocity; Cardiotocography; Perinatal outcome
