Doppler is a method of prenatal diagnosis, which is a kind of ultrasound. Dopplerometry during pregnancy is often carried out simultaneously with ultrasound using an appropriate attachment to the ultrasound machine.
Dopplerometry is based on an estimate of the frequency of sound, which changes when reflected from a moving blood stream. Dopplerometry allows you to determine the speed and nature of blood flow in the vessels of the umbilical cord and womb of a woman, as well as the aorta and the middle cerebral artery of the fetus. Based on the results of this study, signs of abnormalities in the function of the placenta and blood flow are established, because of which the baby can not receive substances for its normal development. Dopplerometry makes it possible to diagnose fetoplacental insufficiency or fetal hypoxia in a timely manner.
How is dopplerometry performed during pregnancy?
The procedure of doplerometry can be performed several times for pregnancy. It is painless and safe for the mother and the future baby. Do dopplerometry in pregnancy as well as conventional ultrasound, the only difference is that with dopplerometry, the blood flow is estimated, which the doctor sees on the monitor in a color image.
Dopplerometry is performed after 23-24 weeks of gestation. Firstly, dopplerometry is prescribed for pregnant women at risk. These are, first of all, women with anemia, hypertension, gestosis, diseases of the cardiovascular system and kidneys, the presence of Rh-antibodies in the blood, diabetes mellitus . The risk group includes pregnant women with premature ripening of the placenta, many-and malodontics, chromosomal pathology of the fetus and other diagnoses.
Parameters of doplerometry in pregnancy
The interpretation of dopplerometry in pregnancy is reduced to the estimation of special indices reflecting the degree of disturbance of blood flow. Since the quantitative assessment of blood flow is rather complicated, the relative indicators are used in dopplerometry. These include:
- IR - the index of resistance;
- PI is the pulsation index;
- SDO - systolic-diastolic ratio.
High indices indicate increased resistance to blood flow, while low indices indicate a decrease in resistance to blood flow. If the IR is more than 0.773, and the SDR is more than 4.4, then this indicates possible problems.
The norm of dopplerometry is the absence of disturbances in the study. But if certain deviations are found, a woman should not despair. The norms of dopplerometry in pregnancy will help to correct the course of pregnancy, choose the necessary treatment to prevent deterioration of the child.
After evaluating the indices, the following degrees of circulatory disturbance are established:
1 degree:
- A - the fetoplacental blood flow is preserved, uteroplacental blood flow is disturbed;
- B - uteroplacental blood flow is disturbed, the placental-placental preserved;
2 degree : a violation of the fruit and placental,
3 degree : critical abnormalities in the fetoplacental blood flow while maintaining or disturbing the utero-placental blood flow.
Where to make dopplerometry in pregnancy, a woman is sure to tell the doctor who is leading her pregnancy, either this study is conducted in the same medical facility where the woman is observed, or the pregnant woman is sent to the appropriate perinatal center equipped with the necessary equipment.