Download PDF
CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Indian J Radiol Imaging 2023; 33(01): 101-103
DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1758878
Brief Report

Preterm Birth Rates after Initiating the Third-Trimester Screening Protocol of Samrakshan in India: Initial Results

Rijo Mathew Choorakuttil
1   Department of Clinical Radiology, AMMA Center for Diagnosis and Preventive Medicine, Kochi, Kerala, India
,
Bavaharan Rajalingam
2   Department of Clinical Radiology, Fetocare Magnum Imaging and Diagnostics, Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India
,
Shilpa R. Satarkar
3   Department of Clinical Radiology, Antarang Sonography and Colour Doppler Center, Satarkar Hospital, Tilaknagar, Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India
,
Lalit K. Sharma
4   Department of Clinical Radiology, Raj Sonography & X- Ray Clinic, Baiju Choraha, Nayapura, Guna, Madhya Pradesh, India
,
Anjali Gupta
5   Department of Clinical Radiology, Anjali Ultrasound and Colour Doppler Centre, Shanti Madhuban Plaza, Delhi Gate, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India
,
Akanksha Baghel
6   Department of Clinical Radiology, Baghel Sonography Center, Harda, Madhya Pradesh, India
,
Praveen K. Nirmalan 
7   Department of Research, Chief Research Mentor, AMMA Education and Research Foundation, AMMA Healthcare Research Gurukul, Kochi, Kerala, India
› Author Affiliations
› Further Information
   Permissions and Reprints

Abstract

Aim To determine the trends in preterm birth (PTB) rates in Samrakshan after initiating a third-trimester screening protocol.

Methods The Samrakshan program of IRIA focused on clinical stage-based management of fetal growth restriction (FGR) in the third trimester integrating fetal Doppler studies with routine trimester-specific antenatal scans. Mean uterine artery pulsatility index (PI), umbilical artery PI, middle cerebral artery PI, and cerebroplacental ratio were assessed for all third-trimester pregnant women in the program.

Results From 2019 to 2022, 249 (18.33%, 95% CI: 16.34, 20.54) women had PTB with 221 (16.67%, 95% CI: 14.73, 18.75) PTBs between 34 and 37 gestation weeks and 22 (1.66%, 95% CI: 1.10, 2.50) PTBs at gestation < 34 weeks. The overall preterm birth rates showed a significant (chi-square p < 0.001) declining trend each year from 23.18% (n = 121) in 2019–2020 to 16.81% (n = 99) in 2020–2021 and 10.75% (n = 23) in 2021–2022.

Conclusion The declining trend of PTB rates in the Samrakshan program shows that the reduction of PTB is an added benefit of the integration of fetal Doppler studies in the third trimester of pregnancy.

Keywords

fetal doppler - fetal ultrasound - preterm birth - Samrakshan India

Note

This work was attributed to the Indian Radiological & Imaging Association, IRIA House, New Delhi, India.




Publication History

Article published online:
26 December 2022

© 2022. Indian Radiological Association. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

Thieme Medical and Scientific Publishers Pvt. Ltd.
A-12, 2nd Floor, Sector 2, Noida-201301 UP, India