First-Trimester Fetal Hepatic Artery Examination for Adverse Outcome Prediction

Overview

Journal J Clin Med

Specialty General Medicine

Date 2022 Apr 23

PMID 35456191

Authors

Bartosz Czuba

Piotr Tousty

Wojciech Cnota

Dariusz Borowski

Agnieszka Jagielska

Mariusz Dubiel

Anna Fuchs

Magda Fraszczyk-Tousty

Sylwia Dzidek

Anna Kajdy

Grzegorz Swiercz

Sebastian Kwiatkowski

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: To assess whether there are differences in first-trimester fetal hepatic artery flows depending on pregnancy outcomes.

Methods: The prospective study conducted in 2012-2020 included 1841 fetuses from singleton pregnancies assessed during the routine first-trimester ultrasound examination (between 11- and 14-weeks' gestation). Also, each fetus was examined to determine their hepatic artery flows by measuring the artery's pulsatility index (HA-PI) and peak systolic velocity (HA-PSV).

Results: The fetuses that were classified as belonging to the adverse pregnancy outcome group (those with karyotype abnormalities and congenital heart defects) were characterized by a significantly lower HA-PI and higher HA-PSV compared to normal outcome fetuses.

Conclusion: Hepatic artery flow assessment proved to be a very useful tool in predicting adverse pregnancy outcomes, in particular karyotype abnormalities and congenital heart defects.

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