Effects of gestational hypertension in the pulsatility index of the middle cerebral and umbilical artery, cerebro-placental ratio, and associated adverse perinatal outcomes

This paper reports the effects of gestational hypertension in the pulsatility index (PI) of umbilical artery (UA) and middle cerebral artery (MCA), cerebro-placental ratio (CPR), and associated adverse perinatal outcomes, after 20 to 40 weeks' gestation in singleton pregnancy. A total of 280 pregnant women, divided equally into control and gestational hypertension groups, were recruited prospectively. Alpinion Medical System ECUBE 7 ultrasound equipment was used to measure the UA-PI, MCA-PI, and CPR within the two groups. Data were analyzed to correlate the results with the presence of adverse perinatal outcomes. In gestational hypertension group, the UA-PI, MCA-PI, and CPR were associated with adverse perinatal outcomes after adjustment for gestational age. The increase in risk for lower birth weight, higher incidence of elective Cesarean section delivery, and preterm birth were statistically significant for UA-PI, MCA-PI, and CPR. Study of pulsatility indices of placental and fetal circulation in singleton pregnancy developed gestational hypertension can provide important information regarding fetal well-being, yielding an opportunity to improve fetal outcome.