Why am I having a uterine artery doppler ultrasound?
All women will be offered a dating scan around 12 weeks of pregnancy and Fetal anomaly scan (FAS) around 20 weeks of pregnancy.听 For the women who we consider to be high risk of having a baby who might not grow to its full potential we can offer a Uterine Artery Doppler (UtAD) ultrasound screen. These risks include:
Or in your current pregnancy you develop;
What is uterine artery doppler ultrasound measurement?
Uterine arteries are the vessels that carry blood to your womb (uterus). Every woman has two uterine arteries on one on each side of the womb. These arteries supply the blood flow to the womb, which then feeds the placenta. If there is a good blood flow in these arteries, the placenta develops normally helping the baby to grow in a healthy way inside the womb.
A uterine artery doppler measurement is used to check the blood flow of the uterine arteries. The flow of blood in the vessels can inform us as to whether your baby will grow to its full potential and the likelihood of developing pre-eclampsia (a blood pressure condition in pregnancy). It can be carried out during an ultrasound scan around 20 - 24 weeks. You will be offered a uterine artery doppler measurement scan if you are more at risk of having a small baby or developing pre-eclampsia. The doppler measurement uses sound waves to check if the blood is flowing easily (low resistance) or whether it is having to work harder (raised resistance).
What do the results mean?
A low resistance measurement means that the blood flow to your uterus is normal. A normal result also indicates that you are less likely to develop pre-eclampsia. You will then be offered growth scans every four weeks in your pregnancy to monitor your baby鈥檚 growth.
A raised resistance measurement suggests that there is more chance that your baby will not grow as well as expected, and an increased risk that you might develop pre-eclampsia. It is important to understand that this does not mean that this will happen, only that you are at increased risk. You will be offered additional monitoring, scans, hospital appointments and midwife appointments during your pregnancy. That means that if problems do arise, they can be picked up as early as possible.
What happens if I have a normal UtAD screen?
If your UtAD screen is considered to be normal you will not need to see an Obstetrician, however the recommendation is that the safest way to assess your baby鈥檚 growth is by scan every 3 weeks from 32 weeks of pregnancy.
What happens if I have an abnormal UtAD screen?
The UtAD screen is considered abnormal if the Uterine Artery Pulsitility Index (a measure of blood flow through the artery in your placenta referred to as PI) is above the 95th centile.
If your UtAD screen is above the 95th centile but your baby鈥檚 weight is estimated to be above the 10th centile, you will see an obstetrician who will discuss with you your individualised plan of care which will include arranging further growth scans that are required from 28 weeks of pregnancy.
If the UtAD screen is above the 95th centile and your baby鈥檚 weight is estimated to be below the 10th centile, you will see an obstetrician who will discuss with you your individualised plan of care which may include advice from the regional fetal medicine unit in Southampton.
What happens if the sonographer is unable to complete the screening?
Sometimes it is not possible to achieve the screening ultrasound test, for example if there are limited views through bowel gas, anatomy position or high BMI. In the cases where the sonographer is not able to reliably achieve a reading, you will follow the same pathway as ladies who have received an abnormal result, therefore your serial ultrasound scans will start from 28weeks of pregnancy.
Is there anything I can do to help my baby to grow well?
If you smoke, it is extremely important that you stop. Smoking can seriously affect the function of the placenta and the baby鈥檚 growth. You may already be in contact with the HIP (Health in Pregnancy) team however you can contact them 01722 336262 Ext 5127.
Monitoring your baby鈥檚 movements is a good way for you to check your baby鈥檚 wellbeing.
Who can I speak with if I need further information?
Receiving the news of having an extra test may cause anxiety but please be assured that the majority of babies will have normal growth. You are welcome to contact your community midwife via email at sft.maternity.routine.equiries@nhs.net or ask your obstetrician if you have any queries or concerns.
听
Our Maternity Information Leaflets for parents and service users are reviewed regularly by parents and service users. If you have any comments/feedback about this leaflet or are interested in looking at future leaflets, please contact our Maternity & Neonatal Voices Partnership (MNVP)听
Our staff at 麻豆国产 District Hospital have long been well regarded for the quality of care and treatment they provide for our patients and for their innovation, commitment and professionalism. This has been recognised in a wide range of achievements and it is reflected in our award of NHS Foundation Trust status. This is afforded to hospitals that provide the highest standards of care.
