Analysis of pregnancy outcomes of abnormal fetal umbilical cord blood flow spectrum in late pregnancy

Objective To investigate the pregnancy outcomes of abnormal fetal umbilical cord blood flow spectrum in late pregnancy. Methods A total of 294 pregnant women in late pregnancy(gestational age≥28 weeks) who received prenatal examination in West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University from October 2014 to September 2016, were chosen as study subjects. 144 cases of pregnant women with the prenatal color Doppler ultrasonography (CDS) examination results of abnormal fetal umbilical cord blood flow spectrum were included into observation group, and 150 cases of pregnant women with normal fetal umbilical cord blood flow spectrum were included into normal control group. A retrospective analysis of two groups of pregnant women′s clinical cases records were conducted. Statistically compared general clinical data of pregnant women, and the incidence rates of fetal intrauterine distress, fetal growth restriction (FGR), oligohydramnios, cesarean section delivery and fetal or neonatal death between two groups. Results ①There were no significant differences between two groups of pregnant women in age, gestational age and constituent ratio of primipara and multipara (P>0.05). ②There were 80.5%(116/144) of umbilical blood flow peak systolic velocity (S)/minimum diastolic flow velocity (D) value≥3.0, 18.1%(26/144) of diastolic blood flow disappeared, and 1.4% (2/144) of diastolic regurgitation in observation group of fetus. ③The incidence rates of fetal intrauterine distress and FGR, cesarean section rate, and fetal or neonatal mortality rate (27.1%, 38.3%, 54.2%, 4.9%, respectively) in observation group were all higher than those of normal control group (6.0%, 7.3%, 9.3%, 0.7%, respectively), and the differences were statistically significant (P 0.05). Conclusions Abnormal fetal umbilical cord blood flow spectrum during late pregnancy may lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes. It has important clinical value to detect abnormal fetal umbilical cord hemodynamics by CDS for pregnant women in late pregnancy. Key words: Pregnancy trimester, third; Umbilical cord; Ultrasonography, Doppler, color; Fetus; Blood flow; Pregnant women