[Pattern of intrauterine growth and Doppler flowmetry]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of ultrasound biometric and hemodynamic fetal parameters for the prenatal diagnosis of intrauterine retardation in a sample of 438 pregnant women who had their first visit before the 16th week of gestation at the outpatient clinic of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, S. Joào Hospital. The results are presented for 427 mother-infant pairs corresponding to singleton pregnancies uncomplicated by congenital malformations. The prevalence of SGA was 4.9%, 86.2% for AGA and 8.9% for LGA. A relatively low sensitivity and high specificity were calculated for the ultrasound parameters evaluated, as observed in previous studies performed in other populations. Mean values for the differences of umbilical vessels resistance index measured at 28-32 and 35-37 gestation weeks were significantly lower in SGA newborns, probably reflecting a sustained compromise of vascular compliance (umbilical/placental). The observed lack of agreement between the pre and the postnatal diagnosis of SGA emphasises the need to define local reference birthweight curves or the careful adoption of European standards obtained in populations identical to our.