The Importance of Doppler Ultrasound in High Risk Pregnancies at Gynecological Obstetric University Hospital “Mbretëresha Geraldine” Tirana, Albania

Dritan Shpati
Gynecological Obstetric Hospital Hosptial University “Mbretëresha Geraldine”

Abstract

  Introduction: Doppler ultrasound of utero-placental circulation is used in our clinic for improving pregnancy outcome. The routine use of Doppler ultrasound includes low risk pregnant women and high risk pregnant women. The high risk status of maternal conditions are associated with increased perinatal mortality and morbidity. The fetal growth occasionally creates confusion with being small for gestational age. In our clinic we are using methods for the assessment of fetal wellbeing in high risk pregnancies such as fetal cardiotocography, biophysical profile and Doppler ultrasounds wave forms in the umbilical artery. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of Doppler ultrasound used to high risk pregnancies on Gynecological Obstetric University Hospital “Mbretëresha Geraldine“ for the period since January 2019-March 2022. Materials and methods: We have controlled data from the patients files during these past years. Included criteria was high risk pregnancy women, small fetus for gestational age and comorbidity of pregnant women such as diabetes, hypertension, autoimmune diseases etc. We have used SPSS 25. Results: The use of Doppler ultrasound in high risk pregnancies was associated with a reduction of perinatal death in 87% of the cases from a total number of women of 275. During these 2 years of study the Doppler ultrasounds have provided some circumstances that reduced the need of hospitalization and additional fetal monitoring however this was not too high in our clinic from 15-17%. In addition, that examination with Doppler has found data that can interfere within protocols that call allow improvement from unit to unit in the same hospital. Discussion: Nowadays ultrasound technology has become more and complex due to the fetal circulation problem and clinical practice standardization in fetal medicine units. It is crucial that benefits from this new methods reduce in an appropriate interventions harm of the fetus etc. The importance of Doppler ultrasound in routine practice has created to our university clinic a screening tool in all pregnancies, not only with high risk pregnancies. Conclusion: Doppler ultrasounds reduce significantly the risk of perinatal deaths and obstetric interventions in high risk pregnancies at Gynecological Obstetric University Hospital “Mbretëresha Geraldine”. Key words: Doppler ultrasound, high risk pregnancy, comorbidity, cardiotocography, pregnancy.

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