Uteroplacental Doppler Flow Velocity Waveform Analysis Correlates Poorly with Glycemic Control in Diabetic Pregnant Women

We examined 65 pregnant women with gestational (n = 31) and insulin dependent (n = 34) diabetes mellitus in order to evaluate the clinical usefulness of Doppler flow velocity waveform analysis in these pregnancies. Umbilical and uterine artery flow velocity waveforms were obtained during the third trimester with a continuous wave Doppler device. Quality of maternal glycemic control was evaluated by hemoglobin (Hb) A1 measurements at the time of delivery in 61 patients and by mean capillary blood sugars during the third trimester of pregnancy in four patients. There was no difference in various clinical and Doppler parameters between patients with good glycemic control and those with poor control. In contrast, the same clinical and Doppler parameters were significantly different in patients with preeclampsia than in those without preeclampsia, regardless of glycemic control. There was a poor positive linear correlation (r = 0.30, p less than 0.02) between maternal HbA1 and umbilical artery flow velocity waveforms (systolic/diastolic ratio). Proteinuria correlated better with umbilical artery systolic/diastolic ratio (r = 0.49, p less than 0.001). We conclude that Doppler flow velocity waveform analysis may be clinically useful only in diabetic pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia.