Risk Assessment of Preeclampsia in Advanced Maternal Age by Uterine Arteries Doppler at 17-21 Weeks of Gestation
Suchila Sritippayawan MD*, Vorapong Phupong MD*
Affiliation : * Department of Obstetrics and Genecology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University
Objective : To assess the risk of preeclampsia development in elderly gravidarum by uterine arteries Doppler
at 17-21 weeks’ gestation.
Materials and Methods : Pulsatility index (PI) of the uterine arteries was measured by color Doppler transab-
dominal sonography in 298 elderly gravida women at 17 – 21 weeks of gestation. The criterion for abnormal
results was PI > 95th percentile of each gestational age and / or the presence of bilateral notches. The major
end point was preeclampsia.
Results : Ten woman (3.4%) developed preeclampsia. Two hundred and eighty-four women (95.3%) had a
normal Doppler flow of uterine arteries (PI < 95th percentile of each gestational age), and 14 woman (4.7%)
had abnormal Doppler flow of uterine arteries. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predic-
tive values for detecting preeclampsia were 20%, 95.8%, 14.3%, and 97.2%, respectively.
Conclusion : Women with mean PI > 95th of each gestational age have a high risk of developing preeclampsia.
With the high negative predictive value, this test may be useful to minimize unnecessary interventions.
Keywords : Uterine artery, Doppler, Preeclampsia, Elderly gravidarum, Pulsatility index
