Value of absent or retrograde end-diastolic flow in fetal aorta and umbilical artery as a predictor of perinatal outcome in pregnancy-induced hypertension.

There is insufficient data on the value of absent or retrograde end-diastolic flow (AREDF) in the fetal umbilical artery, descending aorta and aortic arch to predict perinatal outcome. In this prospective investigation, 65 pregnant women between 24 and 34 weeks' gestation with pregnancy-induced hypertension were studied by color Doppler echocardiography. Pregnancies leading to birth at or before 34.0 gestational weeks (23 with and 19 without AREDF) were included in the outcome analysis. Fetuses with AREDF were delivered at earlier gestational ages (p = 0.006). They had a higher incidence of gastrointestinal complications (p = 0.01), bronchopulmonary dysplasia (p = 0.03), intraventricular hemorrhage (p = 0.03) and vascular hypotension (p = 0.03) than those without AREDF. The presence of AREDF was associated with a mortality rate of 30%, whereas in fetuses without AREDF there was no mortality (p = 0.01). Using logistic regression and taking into consideration various perinatal factors, the presence of AREDF (p = 0.03) and early gestational age (p = 0.0001) were associated with serious neonatal diseases or death. A reverse diastolic flow in the aortic isthmus was registered in five fetuses; three died during the perinatal period and one was severely damaged. According to our results, AREDF, particularly with the appearance of reverse diastolic flow in the isthmus of the aortic arch, is a predictor of poor neonatal outcome.