Abstract
To correlate histomorphology of the placenta with Doppler studies of uterine and umbilical
arteries. A comparative observational study conducted on 75 pregnant women divided
into 2 groups: Group 1 included 25 women with appropriate for gestational age fetuses.
Group 2 included 50 women with FGR. Uterine and umbilical artery Doppler, study of
placental pathology and immunohistochemistry of placental villous tissues were evaluated.
There was a significant difference between the two study groups regarding both abnormal
uterine (0 vs. 58%) and umbilical artery (0 vs. 58%) Doppler (p ≤<≤0.001). Syncytial knots≤>≤30% (44 vs. 60%), fibrinoid necrosis≤>≤5% (8 vs. 46.7%),
placental infarction≤>≤5% (0 vs. 15%), perivillous fibrinoid deposition≤>≤5% (1.8
vs. 16.7%) (p ≤<≤0.001) but not calcifications (56 vs. 60%, p ≤=≤0.121) were significantly higher in FGR placentas. A statistically significant
(p ≤<≤0.001) increase in the expression of VEGF in FGR placentas when compared with normal
placentas. Abnormal uterine artery but not umbilical artery Doppler was significantly
associated with abnormal placental pathology. Women with both abnormal uterine and
umbilical artery Doppler velocimetries were delivered earlier and their babies had
lower mean birth and placental weight (p ≤<≤0.001). Incidence of abnormal placental pathology was significantly higher in this
specific group of FGR pregnancies (p ≤<≤0.001). There is high association between abnormal uterine and umbilical artery
Doppler and placental pathology in FGR associated pregnancies.
Trial Registration NCT03081754.
Keywords Uterine artery Doppler - Umbilical artery Doppler - FGR - Placental pathology
