Absent or Reversed end Diastolic Flow in the Umbilical Arteries : A Warning Sign of Serious Fetal Compromise

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Abstract
Umbilical blood flow velocity waves were measured in the fetuses of 260 selected patients. In twenty-one cases we were able to demonstrate an absent or reversed flow in end diastole after the twentieth week of pregnancy. All but one were delivered before the 36th week of pregnancy. A fetal and perinatal mortality of 13 out of 21 (61, 8%) was noted and all liveborn babies were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit. It seems that fetuses with absent or reversed end diastolic flow have a high risk of serious fetal compromise. This abnormal umbilical blood flow is not common and is obviously associated with intrauterine growth retardation, pregnancy-induced hypertension and lethal congenital malformations. This high-risk situation demands an intensive fetal surveillance although the prognosis remains poor