ULTRASOUND PREDICTORS OF NEONATAL OUTCOME IN INTRAUTERINE GROWTH RESTRICTION

Our purpose was to assess the value of commonly performed ultrasound p arameters in predicting neonatal outcome of fetuses with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). One hundred twenty-seven patients were iden tified on ultrasound examination to have IUGR. Estimated weight percen tile, amniotic fluid volume, umbilical artery Doppler velocimetry, and head circumference/abdominal circumference ratio were compared with n eonatal outcome. Thirty infants had severely adverse courses. The degr ee of growth restriction was strongly associated with adverse outcome and neonatal death. Umbilical artery Doppler waveforms with absent or reverse end-diastolic flow were predictive of neonatal death, bronchop ulmonary dysplasia (BPD), necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), and adverse outcome in general. Oligohydramnios was predictive of adverse outcome and neonatal death. Logistic regression also showed that absent or re verse end-diastolic flow and oligohydramnios were independent predicto rs of adverse outcome. Ultrasound findings of low estimated weight per centile, absent or reverse end-diastolic umbilical blood flow, and oli gohydramnios are independent predictors of adverse neonatal outcome of growth restricted fetuses.