Doppler for clinical management: what is its place?

Doppler ultrasound velocimetry has been used extensively to investigate fetal and uteroplacental circulations in a noninvasive manner. Current evidence suggests a significant association between abnormal Doppler findings and pregnancy complications including adverse perinatal outcome. However, the benefit of the technique as a fetal surveillance tool in improving perinatal outcome needs to be demonstrated before its introduction into routine clinical practice. The initial randomized trials investigating this have so far yielded very encouraging results.