• Wiley Online Library will be disrupted on 26 May from 10:00-12:00 BST (05:00-07:00 EDT) for essential maintenance

Common iliac artery flow velocity waveforms in fetuses with a single umbilical artery: a longitudinal study

  1. Waldo Sepulveda Clinical Assistant (Fetal Medicine)1,*,
  2. Peter Nicolaidis Consultant (Obstetrics and Gynaecology)2,
  3. Sarah Bower Senior Registrar (Fetal Medicine)1,
  4. Deborah A. Ridout Statistician3,
  5. Nicholas M. Fisk Professor (Obstetrics and Gynaecology)1

Article first published online: 19 AUG 2005

DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1996.tb09834.x

Issue

BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Volume 103, Issue 7, pages 660–663, July 1996

Additional Information

How to Cite

Sepulveda, W., Nicolaidis, P., Bower, S., Ridout, D. A. and Fisk, N. M. (1996), Common iliac artery flow velocity waveforms in fetuses with a single umbilical artery: a longitudinal study. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 103: 660–663. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1996.tb09834.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Centre for Fetal Care, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital, London, UK

  2. 2

    Fetal Medicine Unit, Mitera Maternity Hospital, Athens, Greece

  3. 3

    Medical Statistical Unit, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital, London, UK

*Correspondence: Dr W. Sepulveda, Harris Birthright Research Centre for Fetal Medicine, King's College Hospital Medical School, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8RX, UK.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 19 AUG 2005
  2. Article first published online: 19 AUG 2005
  3. Received 31 May 1995 Accepted 7 November 1995

SEARCH

SEARCH BY CITATION

ARTICLE TOOLS

View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (1130K)

Objective In fetuses with a single umbilical artery the entire blood flow to the placenta is transported through the common and internal iliac arteries from the side of the single artery, whereas the pelvic vessels from the side of the missing artery do not participate in the fetoplacental circulation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of gestational age on pelvic arterial blood flow in fetuses with single umbilical artery.

Design In 15 fetuses with a single umbilical artery (SUA), common iliac artery flow velocity waveforms were studied longitudinally using high resolution colour Doppler ultrasonography at three gestational ages: 18 to 20 weeks, 28 to 30 weeks, and 35 to 37 weeks. The pulsatility index was measured in each common iliac artery and mixed model analysis of variance was used to examine the effect of gestational age and side.

Results There was a highly significant difference in pulsatility index between common iliac arteries at all gestational ages, the values always being higher on the side that did not participate in the fetoplacental circulation (P < 0.001). For increasing gestation, the pulsatility index fell significantly in the SUA side but remained high in the non-SUA side (P < 0.001).

Conclusions This study shows that the asymmetry in the pelvic arterial blood flow in fetuses with SUA increases as pregnancy progresses, consistent with decreasing vascular resistance in the placenta and increasing resistance in the lower extremities.

View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (1130K)