The predictive value of uterine artery flow velocity waveforms in miscarriage in older women

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether uterine artery blood flow velocity measurements can predict miscarriage in older women. DESIGN: Prospective study. SUBJECTS: Three hundred and ninety-three women aged 35 years and older in the first trimester of pregnancy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Miscarriage, genetic abortion, pulsatility index (PI), maternal age, gestational age at intake. RESULTS: Twenty women miscarried; 10 pregnancies were terminated because of chromosomal anomalies. Maternal age and gestational age at intake were significantly associated with miscarriage rate (P = 0.01 and P = 0.001, respectively). Uterine artery PI values declined significantly during the first trimester (P = 0.001). However, no association was found between uterine artery PI values and miscarriage rate. PI, maternal age and gestational age at intake were not essentially different between women who miscarried before or after chorionic villus sampling. No association was found between PI, maternal age, and gestational age at intake and genetic abortion rate. CONCLUSIONS: Uterine artery blood flow velocity waveforms, as expressed by the pulsatility index, bear no relation to miscarriage.