REVERSE END-DIASTOLIC UMBILICAL ARTERY BLOOD-FLOW AT 11 WEEKS GESTATION

This report describes a case of reverse end-diastolic blood flow in th e umbilical artery of one of the fetuses of a twin pregnancy at 11 wee ks' gestation. Cytogenetic studies after amniocentesis performed at 12 weeks revealed at 45,X karyotype of this twin whose death was registe red 1 week later. Spontaneous delivery of the co-twin occurred at 37 w eeks; the newborn was healthy and normal. This is the earliest record of reverse diastolic flow in the umbilical artery. Even in the first t rimester of pregnancy this is an ominous sign and fatal demise is expe cted.