First-Trimester Fetal Hepatic Artery Examination for Adverse Outcome Prediction

Bartosz Czuba; Piotr Tousty; Wojciech Cnota; Dariusz Borowski; Agnieszka Jagielska; Mariusz Dubiel; Anna Fuchs; Magda Fraszczyk-Tousty; Sylwia Dzidek; Anna Kajdy; Grzegorz Świercz; Sebastian Kwiatkowski

doi:10.3390/jcm11082095

First-Trimester Fetal Hepatic Artery Examination for Adverse Outcome Prediction

J Clin Med. 2022 Apr 8;11(8):2095. doi: 10.3390/jcm11082095.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Silesia, 41-703 Ruda Slaska, Poland.
² Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Pomeranian Medical University, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland.
³ Department of Perinatology, Gynecology and Gynecologic Oncology, Collegium Medicum, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 85-821 Bydgoszcz, Poland.
⁴ Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Gynecological Oncology, Jan Biziel University Hospital, Collegium Medicum, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 85-168 Bydgoszcz, Poland.
⁵ Chair and Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Oncological Gynecology, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, 40-211 Katowice, Poland.
⁶ Department of Neonatal Diseases, Pomeranian Medical University, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland.
⁷ Department of Reproductive Health, Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, 01-004 Warsaw, Poland.
⁸ Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Provincial Combined Hospital in Kielce, 25-736 Kielce, Poland.
⁹ Collegium Medicum, Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce, 25-369 Kielce, Poland.

Abstract

Objective: To assess whether there are differences in first-trimester fetal hepatic artery flows depending on pregnancy outcomes.

Methods: The prospective study conducted in 2012-2020 included 1841 fetuses from singleton pregnancies assessed during the routine first-trimester ultrasound examination (between 11- and 14-weeks' gestation). Also, each fetus was examined to determine their hepatic artery flows by measuring the artery's pulsatility index (HA-PI) and peak systolic velocity (HA-PSV).

Results: The fetuses that were classified as belonging to the adverse pregnancy outcome group (those with karyotype abnormalities and congenital heart defects) were characterized by a significantly lower HA-PI and higher HA-PSV compared to normal outcome fetuses.

Conclusion: Hepatic artery flow assessment proved to be a very useful tool in predicting adverse pregnancy outcomes, in particular karyotype abnormalities and congenital heart defects.

Keywords: adverse outcome; chromosomal abnormalities; congenital heart defects; hepatic artery.