Cardiac defects in chromosomally normal fetuses with abnormal ductus venosus blood flow at 10–14 weeks

To assess a possible relationship between ductus venosus blood flow abnormalities and cardiac defects in chromosomally normal fetuses with increased nuchal translucency thickness at 10–14 weeks of gestation.

Ductus venosus Doppler ultrasound blood flow velocity waveforms were obtained at 10–14 weeks' gestation immediately before fetal karyotyping in 200 consecutive singleton pregnancies with increased nuchal translucency. Fetal echocardiography was subsequently carried out in those with normal fetal karyotype.

Reverse or absent flow during atrial contraction was observed in 11 of the 142 chromosomally normal fetuses with increased nuchal translucency. Major defects of the heart and/or great arteries were present in seven of the 11 with abnormal ductal flow and increased nuchal translucency, but in none of the 131 with normal flow.

These preliminary results suggest that abnormal ductus venosus blood flow in chromosomally normal fetuses with increased nuchal translucency identifies those with an underlying major cardiac defect. Copyright © 1999 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology