ROLE OF 3 DIMENSIONAL POWER DOPPLER ULTRASOUND IN EARLY PREGNANCY FOR PREDICTION OF PRE-ECLAMPSIA

Abstract

The main objectives of modern antenatal care programs are to identify high risk pregnancies then to predict any possibility of adverse pregnancy outcome as early as possible. The invention of ultrasound & Doppler allowed obstetricians to study the fetus & the placenta properly & very early. The development of the human placenta is as uniquely intriguing. During its brief intrauterine existence, the fetus is dependent on the placenta for pulmonary, hepatic, and renal functions. The placenta accomplishes these functions through its unique anatomical association with the mother. Preeclampsia is a pregnancy-specific syndrome characterized by new-onset hypertension and proteinuria, occurring usually after 20 weeks gestation. The 3D power Doppler allows the assessment of the architecture of the placental tree. Such information is very important considering that problem on the normal development of the placenta, as well as the reduction on its FI, are usually associated with alterations in fetal growth. In conclusion, from the current study revealed that the placental blood flow perfusion in patients with pre-eclampsia had a lower VI, FI and VFI compared to non preeclamptic women this difference was statistically highly significant (P<0.001). The present study show no statistical significant difference between the preeclamptic women and women who did not develop preeclampsia regarding placental volume with P value= 0.219. We believe that this tool could help in the introduction of prophylactic measures, such as low-dose aspirin in women identified at high-risk for preterm preeclampsia, and to follow the response of such measure on deep placentation and placental vascularization. It is to be noted that further larger studies are still needed to confirm these results and to determine whether the 3DPD ultrasound indices are able to predict pre-eclampsia that the clinicians can use in practical life.