Background:To determine the accuracy of uterine
artery doppler in second trimester (18-24 weeks) in
determining preeclampsia.
Methods: In this descriptive study a total of 89
women with singleton pregnancy attending routine
second trimester anomaly scan were included.
Uterine artery doppler sonography was conducted in
the women coming for routine anomaly scan. Flow
velocity waveforms of right and left uterine artery
were imaged with the patient in the semi recumbent
position and uterine artery was identified in the
longitudinal scan, lateral to uterus. Resistive index,
pulsatility index and presence and absence of early
diastolic notch and its depth in terms of notch index
were calculated.
Results: Uterine artery doppler finding in second
trimester in determining preeclampsia showed
abnormal findings in 41.57% women in which
24.32% had type I (Resistive index >0.58), 45.95%
(17/37) type II (Mild notching of uterine artery at
beginning of diastole) and 29.73% had type III
[(Severe notching + abnormal Resistive index
(>0.58)]. After the follow-up of each patient we
found that pre-eclampsia was developed in 28.09%
(25/89) cases. The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity,
positive and negative predictive values of uterine
artery doppler were 75.28%, 80%, 73.44%, 54.05% and
90.38% respectively
Conclusion: By detecting abnormal uterine artery
Doppler indices (high RI) between 18-24 weeks of
pregnancy can identify those women who are at risk
for development of preeclampsia.
Key words: Pre-eclampsia, Uterine artery Doppler,
Second trimester, Resistive index, Pulsatility index