Longitudinal Reference Values for Ductus Venosus Doppler in Low-Risk Pregnancies

Marcolin, Alessandra C.; Berezowski, Aderson T.; Crott, Gerson C.; Gonçalves, Carla V.; Duarte, Geraldo

doi:10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2009.11.003

« Previous Next »Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology
Volume 36, Issue 3 , Pages 392-396, March 2010

Longitudinal Reference Values for Ductus Venosus Doppler in Low-Risk Pregnancies

Alessandra C. Marcolin
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
- Address correspondence to: Prof. Alessandra Cristina Marcolin, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo. Avenida Bandeirantes, 3900, 14049-900, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.
Aderson T. Berezowski
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
Gerson C. Crott
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
Carla V. Gonçalves
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
Geraldo Duarte
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil

Received 1 June 2009; received in revised form 29 October 2009; accepted 7 November 2009. published online 04 February 2010.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to establish normal ranges of blood flow velocities and indices in the fetal ductus venosus (DV) during the second half of normal pregnancy. A Doppler study of 60 healthy pregnant women without fetal pathologies was performed during the second half of pregnancy. The peak systolic velocity (PSV), peak diastolic velocity (PDV), maximum velocity during atrial contraction (VAC), peak systolic velocity / maximum velocity during atrial contraction (S/A ratio), pulsatility index for the vein (PIV), preload index (PLI) and velocity index for the vein (VIV) were calculated from the DV at 4-week intervals. A significant increase in PSV, PDV and VAC was observed from the 20–23^6/7 to the 28–31^6/7 weeks, with stabilization of values until the end of the pregnancy. On the other hand, the study showed a significant decrease for the S/A ratio, PIV, PLI and VIV from the 20–23^6/7 to the 28–31^6/7 weeks and remaining stable from then until term. (E-mail: dralemar@uol.com.br)

Key Words: Pregnancy, Ductus venosus, Reference values, Fetus, Doppler, Ultrasound