FREQUENCY OF NEUROLOGICAL MORBIDITY IN NE WBORNS WITH ABSENT OR REVERSE END-DIASTOLIC FLOW VELOCITIES OF THE UMBILICAL ARTERIES

Absent or reverse enddiastolic flow velocities (AREDFV) of the umbilic al arteries are associated with feta) distress and adverse fetal outco me. We studied 68 fetuses with AREDFV with respect to abnormal neurolo gical evalution up to two years. A control group was matched for gesta tional age and had normal umbilical artery flow velocity waveforms. Fe tuses with AREDFV showed increased abnormal neurological signs, compar ed with the control group (31% vs. 12%). Our results confirm the signi ficance of AREDFV in growth retarded infants with respect to neurologi cal development in early childhood.