Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, Vol 19, Issue 8 577-579, Copyright © 2000 by American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
Color Doppler sonographic study of the uterine artery in patients using intrauterine contraceptive devices
R. Frajndlich, H. von Eye Corleta and N. Frantz
Gerar Assisted Reproduction Clinic, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
A transvaginal Doppler sonographic examination of uterine artery blood flow
was performed. Resistance and pulsatility indices were measured in 101
women, 74 of whom were using an intrauterine contraceptive device, and 27
controls, who were not using any contraceptive method. The intrauterine
contraceptive device users were divided into three groups: those with
normal bleeding (n = 34); those with abnormal uterine bleeding without
medication (n = 16); and those with abnormal bleeding corrected with use of
prostaglandin inhibitors (n = 24). The resistance and pulsatility values
were significantly lower in the group of women using intrauterine
contraceptive devices who had abnormal bleeding than in all other groups
(P<0.001). All other comparisons were nonsignificant. A pulsatility
index of less than 2 may be associated with a higher risk for development
of intrauterine contraceptive device-induced bleeding.
