UTERINE DOPPLER WAVE-FORM AND THE PREDICTION OF THE RECURRENCE OF PREECLAMPSIA AND INTRAUTERINE GROWTH-RETARDATION IN PATIENTS TREATED WITHLOW-DOSE ASPIRIN

Objective: To examine if early uterine Doppler remains a predictor of vascular complications in pregnant women treated with low-dose aspirin for a poor previous obstetrical history. Design: A study of the uteri ne diastolic index and the uterine notch with a continuous wave Dopple r ultrasound. Setting: The maternity Hospital Port-Royal Baudelocque P aris, France. Subjects: All pregnant women between 1991-1992 (n = 48) early treated with 100 mg daily of aspirin (15.9 (S.D. = 1) weeks) for a poor previous obstetrical history. Methods: The 48 patients underwe nt a uterine Doppler examination at 23.8 (S.D. = 2.6) weeks. A diastol ic index was calculated and the presence of diastolic notch was noted, Main outcome measures: Vascular complications (pre-eclampsia, intra-u terine growth retardation), birth weight. Results: Twenty six patients (54.2%) had an abnormal early uterine Doppler. Nine patients (18.7%) had a vascular complication, which occurred more frequently in pregnan t patients with an abnormal uterine Doppler (8/26 vs. 1/22; P < 0.05). The mean birth weight was lower in patients with a pathological uteri ne Doppler (2419 (S.D. = 679) vs. 2841 (S.D. = 482) g; P < 0.05). Conc lusions: In pregnant, early treated with low-dose aspirin for poor pre vious pregnancies, early uterine Doppler predicted patients with a hig h-risk of recurrence of vascular complications.