CIRCULATORY DOPPLER PARAMETERS IN FETAL HYPOXAEMIA

A 32‐year‐old pregnant woman (gravida 1, para 0) was delivered at 27 weeks of gestation by elective Caesarean section because of regular fetal heart rate (FHR) decelerations. Doppler ultrasound assessment of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) and the ductus venosus (DV) showed pathological results, whereas the umbilical artery waveforms were normal. Blood gas analysis of the umbilical cord obtained at Caesarean section indicated fetal hypoxaemia. The discrepancy between abnormal Doppler findings in the central circulation and normal Doppler in the umbilical artery suggests that a detailed Doppler assessment may be necessary in order to clarify abnormal FHR tracings.