Effect of umbilical vein blood flow on perinatal outcome of fetuses with lean and/or hypo-coiled umbilical cord

Objective To evaluate the effect of umbilical vein (UV) blood flow measured by color-directed pulsed-wave Doppler on perinatal outcome of fetuses with lean and/or hypocoiled umbilical cord after 24 weeks of gestation. Methods Two hundred and forty-four women with singleton fetus after 24 weeks of gestation were studied. Umbilical cord area, umbilical vessel cross-sectional area and antenatal umbilical coiling index (UCI) were calculated and compared with Doppler parameters including UV blood flow volume in ml/min/kg, UV peak systolic velocity in cm/s, and umbilical artery pulsatility index. Results Thirty-eight (15.5%) fetuses had lean umbilical cord (area