Fetoplacental Doppler in gestational hypertension and mild preeclampsia

Doppler fetoplacentario en hipertensión gestacional y preeclampsia leve

Introduction: preeclampsia occurs in 6% of pregnancies in Colombia and is associated with a high rate of maternal-fetal morbidity and mortality. Often severe cases are accompanied by intrauterine growth restriction; in these cases the fetoplacental doppler is useful to determine the fetal prognosis, but its value in mild preeclampsia or gestational hypertension is not well defined. Objectives: to determine in these two circumstances the frequency of alterations in the Doppler of the umbilical and middle cerebral arteries. Materials and methods: search of cases in the database of the maternal-fetal medicine unit of the Hospital of San José, between August 2006 and February 2008. Patients with gestations> at 28 weeks with HTG or PL and fetuses were defined as cases. with normal growth profile. We considered and analyzed demographic variables, fetoplacental Doppler results and complications. Results: 85 patients were identified. 17% presented UA Doppler alteration and 7% of the ACM; in gestations <32 weeks the abnormal findings are low (75% AU and 85% normal MCA). Conclusions: the frequency of alterations in UA and ACM Doppler was similar in the group of women who presented complications and those with a normal outcome. Abbreviations: IUGR, intrauterine growth restriction; PL, mild preclampsia; HTG, gestational hypertension; AU, umbilical artery; ACM, middle cerebral artery.

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