RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DOPPLER VELOCIMETRY AND FOETAL GROWTH IN PREECLAMPTIC PREGNANCIES IN MTHATHA, SOUTH AFRICA: A Cross-sectional Cohort Study

<ns3:p>Objectives Preeclampsia is a severe form of hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, with adverse outcomes for both mothers and their foetuses worldwide. This disorder affects South Africa disproportionately due to socio-economic challenges. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of maternal preeclampsia on foetal growth and vascular function in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Methods A cross-sectional study design recruiting 30 preeclamptic and 30 normotensive pregnant women aged 18–35 years with singleton pregnancies was used. A lifestyle/health questionnaire was administered to all participants. Foetal biometry, including head circumference, abdominal circumference, biparietal diameter, femur length, estimated foetal weight, and Doppler velocimetry parameters, were assessed using transabdominal and Doppler ultrasound. Results Preeclamptic women demonstrated a higher incidence of tobacco (25% vs 7%, p < 0.001) and alcohol use (65% vs 13%, p < 0.001) and a history of preeclampsia (64% vs 17%, p < 0.001). Foetal measurements showed reduced head circumference (255 ± 74.41 mm vs 293.85 ± 13.18 mm, p = 0.05) and estimated foetal weight (1609 ± 326.91 g vs 1987.53 ± 403.43 g, p = 0.05) in preeclamptic pregnancies, while Doppler indices, such as uterine artery pulsatile index and middle cerebral artery resistive index, were elevated (1.52 ± 0.70 and 0.88 ± 0.12). Multiple linear regression outcomes showed that the middle cerebral artery pulsatile index (MCA PI) positively predicted foetal head circumference (β = 0.568, p = 0.02). Conversely, the MCA resistive index negatively predicted foetal head circumference (β = −0.716, p = 0.004), suggesting that each unit increase in the resistive index results in a 0.716 cm decrease in foetal head circumference. Conclusion The findings of this study showed that foetal growth and development are directly affected by maternal preeclampsia, emphasising the importance of using specialised techniques such as Doppler velocimetry to predict foetal outcomes and potentially designing targeted interventions to improve perinatal care strategies in high-risk populations.</ns3:p>