Purpose: to determine the behavior of doppler velocimetry during the course of risk pregnancies and to compare the perinatal results obtained for concepti with retarded intrauterine growth (RIUG) with those for concepti considered adequate for gestational age (AGA). Methods: a prospective study of the evolution of doppler ultrasound was made in 38 pregnant women with of idiopathic intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) in previous pregnancy. A relationship was established between this antecedent and the new pregnancy. The pregnant women studied were divided into two groups in agreement with their neonates birthweight. Group 1 was associated with IUGR and group 2 with adequate birth weight. IUGR was confirmed in 23.7% of the cases. Umbilical and uterine artery doppler velocimetry was performed from 20 to 40 weeks of gestation. Middle cerebral artery doppler velocimetry was analyzed after 28 weeks of gestation, twice a month, being the last valued examination before birth. Results: the uterine and umbilical artery ratio at 24 and 28 weeks of gestation, respectively, correlated with the presence of IUGR. There was no difference between the two groups regarding the presence or absence of a small notch in the uterine artery wave form and middle cerebral artery doppler velocimetry ratio, at the last examination before birth. There was a relationship between neonatal stay in hospital for more than three days and the presence of IUGR. Conclusions: doppler ultrasound should be used in the follow-up of cases with a high risk of IUGR. It allows the detection of the fetuses at high risk of hypoxia and, by interrupting the pregnancy, fetal distress-related complications may be avoided.
Doppler ultrasound; Fetal distress; Intrauterine growth retardation; Fetus; Ultrasonography
