STUDY ON PERSISTENT UTERINE ARTERY DIASTOLIC NOTCH: A PREDICTOR OF HYPERTENSIVE DISORDERS OF PREGNANCY AND FOETAL GROWTH RESTRICTION

Abstract

BACKGROUND Hypertensive disorders complicating pregnancy are common and form one of the deadly triad along with haemorrhage and infection that contribute greatly to maternal morbidity, mortality and responsible for 20% of perinatal mortality and morbidity. Incidence of foetal growth restriction is close to 10% of all births and contributes to increased perinatal morbidity and mortality. This prospective study is on persistent uterine artery diastolic notch as a predictor of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and foetal growth restriction. METHODS The study population consisted of 200 antenatal women attending outpatient clinic, Institute of Social Obstetrics and Government Kasturba Gandhi Hospital with the 16-28 weeks of gestation. RESULTS Persistence of notch was seen in 27.17% of cases. Among them 47.16% of cases had hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, 39.62% of cases had foetal growth restriction, 22.64% of cases had FGR with HTD. CONCLUSION This study highlights that the persistence of uterine artery diastolic notch, especially bilateral notch should be specifically evaluated so that necessary timely intervention can be made. Persistent uterine artery notch in high risk women is a good predictor of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and foetal growth restriction.