Evaluation of the Cerebro-Placental Ratio and Doppler Indices of the Umbilical and Middle Cerebral Arteries at 27-40 Weeks of Normal Gestation

Quratulain Malik; Nisar Ahmed; Muhammad Zeeshan Ali; Saira Ahmed; Ahmad Zafar Baig; Muhammad Humayyun Javed

doi:10.51253/pafmj.v76i1.12263

Authors

Quratulain Malik Department of Radiology, Armed Forces Institute of Radiology, Rawalpindi/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Pakistan
Nisar Ahmed Department of Radiology, Armed Forces Institute of Radiology, Rawalpindi/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Pakistan
Muhammad Zeeshan Ali Department of Radiology, Armed Forces Institute of Radiology, Rawalpindi/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Pakistan
Saira Ahmed Department of Radiology, Armed Forces Institute of Radiology, Rawalpindi/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Pakistan
Ahmad Zafar Baig Department of Radiology, Armed Forces Institute of Radiology, Rawalpindi/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Pakistan
Muhammad Humayyun Javed Combined Military Hospital, Rawalpindi/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51253/pafmj.v76i1.12263

Keywords:

Doppler Velocimetry, Foetal Monitoring, Middle Cerebral Artery

Abstract

Objective: To measure the Pulsatility Index (PI) and Resistive Index (RI) in the Umbilical Artery (UA) and the Middle Cerebral Artery (MCA) between 27-40 weeks of a normal intrauterine pregnancy, and to calculate the Cerebro-Placental (CP) ratio for all patients.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: Tertiary Care Hospital of Rawalpindi, Pakistan, from Jun 22 to Mar 23.

Methodology: This study included the females with normal third-trimester pregnancies from 27 weeks, excluding anomalies, multiple pregnancies, maternal smoking, documented complications, and pre-existing medical conditions. Duplex Doppler measured middle cerebral artery (MCA) and umbilical artery (UA) indices, and the CP ratio. SPSS Version 23:00 was used for data analysis.

Results: In this study, 183 pregnant females were considered, with a predominant age range of 26-30 years (40.4%). The mean age was 28.60±5.01 years, and the mean gestational age was 34.21±2.91 weeks. Maximum patient frequency occurred in the 34^th week of gestation (13.6%). Strong, negative correlation between CP ratio and UA pulsatility index was observed for nearly every gestation week (p<0.05).

Conclusion: The study identifies distinct gestational age-related patterns in foetal middle cerebral artery (MCA) and umbilical artery (UA) Doppler indices. The CP ratio emerges as a valuable parameter, showcasing potential application, particularly in intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) cases.

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