Effect of Antenatal Umbilical Coiling Index on Doppler Parameters of Umbilical Cord Vessels

Abstract

Purpose: To assess the effect of antenatal umbilical coiling index on Doppler parameters of umbilical cord vessels.

Material and Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted in a large health services hospital and total of 48 pregnant women were included in study. These women were between 28 and 42 weeks of gestation. Transabdominal sonography was used to study antenatal umbilical coiling index and its relationship with Doppler parameters of umbilical vessels blood flow was assessed.

Results: The mean gestational age of cases was 31.47 ± 2.45. The antenatal umbilical coiling index was found to be 0.42 ± 0.1 with values 0.27 and 0.57 being the 10th and 90th percentile. In terms of the coiling pattern, 8% exhibited hypercoiling, 10% showed hypocoiling, and the remaining 82% were classified as normocoiled. There was a non-significant correlation of UCI with PSV (r=0.202, P=0.169) and RI (r=0.018, P=0.905) of umbilical arteries. The correlation of UCI with umbilical vein velocity (r=0.432, P=0.002) and blood flow rate (r=0.668, P=0.00) was strong and significant.

Conclusion: Antenatal umbilical coiling index can be assessed on ultrasonography and there was a significant relationship between Doppler flow parameters of umbilical vein and the umbilical coiling index. It showed that umbilical coiling does promote venous blood flow in umbilical vein. Moreover, there was a non-significant relationship between umbilical coiling index and Doppler flow parameters of umbilical arteries.