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Microscopic lesions of placenta and Doppler velocimetry related to fetal growth restriction

  • Materno-fetal Medicine
  • Published:
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to find an association between the uterine and umbilical arteries blood flow patterns in growth-restricted (FGR) and normal fetuses and placental microscopic lesions.

Methods

Fifty women with prenatally suspected and post-delivery confirmed FGR of singleton fetuses were enrolled in a case–controlled follow-up study from May 2007 to December 2008. Unselected patients with appropriately growing fetuses, matched for gestational age, served as controls. Uterine and umbilical Doppler waveforms were recorded before delivery.

Results

Compared with control group with normal Doppler, FGR women with abnormal Doppler velocimetry of uterine and umbilical arteries had more intervillous thrombi (p = 0.01 and p < 0.0001, respectively) and villous infarctions (p = 0.02 and p = 0.0003, respectively). Thickening of the basal membrane and villitis was clearly linked to the FGR (p = 0.006 and p = 0.01). Vasculitis, on the other hand, is linked to normal growth, without affecting Doppler velocities.

Conclusions

Abnormal Doppler may predict hemorrhagic and ischemic placental lesions in FGR pregnancies and may lead to future improvement of the management of current and subsequent pregnancies.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to women who agreed to participate in the study. Grant for this project was provided by the Latvian Ministry of Education and Science and the European Structural Funds.

Conflict of interest

We declare that we have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Riga Stradins University, Dzirciema Street 16, Riga, 1013, Latvia

    Natalija Vedmedovska & Dace Rezeberga

  2. Department of Biostatistics, Riga Stradins University, Riga, Latvia

    Uldis Teibe

  3. University Children Hospital, Division of Pathology, Riga Stradins University, Riga, Latvia

    Ivars Melderis

  4. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the Regional Hospital Heilig Hart Tienen, University Hospital Gasthuisberg Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

    Gilbert G. G. Donders

  5. University Hospital Citadelle Liège, Liege, Belgium

    Gilbert G. G. Donders

Authors
  1. Natalija Vedmedovska
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  2. Dace Rezeberga
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  3. Uldis Teibe
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  4. Ivars Melderis
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  5. Gilbert G. G. Donders
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Natalija Vedmedovska.

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Vedmedovska, N., Rezeberga, D., Teibe, U. et al. Microscopic lesions of placenta and Doppler velocimetry related to fetal growth restriction. Arch Gynecol Obstet 284, 1087–1093 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-010-1781-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-010-1781-x

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