This article is professionally consulted by Dr. Nguyễn Thu Hoài, Specialist Doctor Level II
Department of Obstetrics, Vinmec Times City International General Hospital
The uterine artery plays a very important role in providing nutrition and oxygen to the fetus. When the resistance of the uterine artery increases, the pregnant woman is at risk of intrauterine growth restriction and an increased risk of preeclampsia.
The uterine artery is a blood vessel that directly provides nutrients and oxygen to the fetus in the womb. During pregnancy, the woman's uterus gradually changes to ensure the function of protecting, nourishing, and supporting the fetus. The uterine artery also gradually adapts to meet the increasing demand for nutrients to support normal fetal development. As the fetus grows, the resistance in the uterine artery gradually decreases, allowing more blood to circulate to the fetus. This process involves endothelial factors and the endothelial cells of blood vessels, which gradually alter the structure of the uterine artery.
According to gestational age, the resistance index of the uterine artery changes. The resistance index measured on ultrasound for each pregnant woman is compared to the average uterine artery resistance index of the population. Pregnant women with increased uterine artery resistance are at higher risk for intrauterine growth restriction and preeclampsia.
At Vinmec hospital, when the fetus is between 11 weeks 0 days and 13 weeks 6 days, in addition to screening for chromosomal abnormalities, early detection of congenital malformations, and abnormalities in the placenta and amniotic fluid through ultrasound, the ultrasound doctor uses Doppler effect to measure the uterine artery resistance. Doppler ultrasound of the uterine artery is increasingly used and has become an effective method to indirectly assess uterine and placental circulation from the early stages of pregnancy. Combining uterine artery Doppler with the measurement of the pregnant woman's mean blood pressure, medical history, and PlGF (placental growth factor) in maternal blood will help increase the accuracy of preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction risk screening by up to 90%.
Pregnant women at high risk for preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction will be advised and treated with low-dose aspirin before 16 weeks of pregnancy. Additionally, classifying pregnancies helps obstetricians create a necessary monitoring plan for the pregnancy, ensuring that the mother receives thorough counseling to avoid missing any adverse developments that need timely intervention. This also helps in determining the appropriate time to end the pregnancy.
Currently, uterine artery Doppler ultrasound is part of Vinmec's 12-week prenatal care program. In addition to routine services, the program includes special services not available in other prenatal packages, such as: Double Test or Triple Test for fetal abnormality screening; measurement of placental growth factor (PlGF) in the blood to diagnose preeclampsia; thyroid screening; Rubella testing; testing for parasites transmitted from mother to child that could severely affect the baby's brain and physical development after birth.
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