Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, Vol 10, Issue 6 327-330, Copyright © 1991 by American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
Doppler evaluation of the fetoplacental circulation in the latent phase of preterm premature rupture of membranes
J. Santolaya, M. Sampson, G. Nobles, G. Font, V. Ramakrishnan and S. L. Warsof
Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, University of Illinois, Chicago 60612.
Blood velocity waveform analysis by pulsed Doppler ultrasonography in
preterm premature rupture of membranes is described. Reduced amounts of
amniotic fluid did not impair determination of the resistance indices from
the umbilical artery. Good results were obtained from the internal carotid
artery in 82% of cases. Failure in measurements at the internal carotid
artery occurred when fetal head engagement prevented good study planes.
Ninety-three percent of umbilical artery determinations fell within the
normal limits for our control population as did 89.2% of those at the
internal carotid artery. No differences in the resistance indices could be
attributed to the length of the latent period in prematurely ruptured
membranes or subclinical chorioamnionitis. Therefore, if a mother or fetus
has an underlying condition that affects fetoplacental circulation, the
resulting abnormal blood velocity waveform should reflect this condition
rather than the effect of ruptured membranes.
