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Updated: Feb 23, 2026

Human Fetal Blood Flow Quantification with Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Motion Compensation
Published on: January 7, 2021
Hemodynamic analysis of blood flow in umbilical artery using computational modeling
Ruchit G Shah1, Theresa Girardi1, George Merz2
1Placental Analytics, LLC, New Rochelle, NY, USA.
Abstract:
The umbilical cord is the crucial pathway for blood flow between the fetus and the placenta. Umbilical coiling and length have been separately linked to adverse clinical outcomes; however, the effects of variations of these parameters on umbilical arterial blood flow are not well understood. Using 3D computational model, we studied the individual and combined effects of umbilical coiling index, cord length and arterial diameter on umbilical artery hemodynamics. We found that specific combinations of umbilical coiling index, cord length and arterial diameter yielded pressure and flow drops incompatible with fetal life. Such models are useful as hypothesis-developing tools.
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