The Medical Journal of Basrah University

Abstract

ABSTRACT
In this study, aimed to evaluate changes in utero-placental circulation in normal as well as abnormal pregnancies, 25
women with first trimester threatened abortion with a living embryo, 5 women with anembryonic pregnancy (Blighted
ovum), in addition to 30 women with normal pregnancies were included. In all women, trans-abdominal colour Doppler
ultrasound study was performed including measurement of systolic / diastolic (S/D) ratio, resistance index (RI) and
pulsatility index (PI) of uterine arteries. Women with threatened abortion showed significantly lower RI (P<0.05)
compared to those with normal pregnancies, and significantly lower S/D ratio (P<0.01) and RI index (P<0.01) than
women with anembryonic pregnancy. Patients with anembryonic pregnancy showed significantly higher S/D ratio
(P<0.01) and RI index (P<0.05) in comparison to those with normal pregnancies. We conclude that first trimester
threatened abortion and anembryonic pregnancy are associated with marked changes in uteroplacental circulation.
Further studies are needed to clarify whether those alterations are the cause or the result of these conditions.