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Updated: Aug 9, 2026

Murine Fetal Echocardiography
Published on: February 15, 2013
Reverse end-diastolic flow in the middle cerebral artery: an agonal pattern in the human fetus
W Sepulveda1, A H Shennan, M J Peek
1Centre for Fetal Care, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
Abstract:
Serial Doppler ultrasonography in a severely growth-restricted fetus revealed progressive reduction in pulsatility index of the middle cerebral artery, consistent with brain-sparing effect. At 29 weeks, 1 week before fetal death, the pulsatility index in the middle cerebral artery returned to normal values and became reversed the day before fetal death. This report suggests that reverse flow in the middle cerebral artery is one of the terminal hemodynamic events preceding fetal death.

