Placental volume and three-dimensional power Doppler analysis in prediction of pre-eclampsia and small for gestational age between Week 11 and 13 weeks and 6 days of gestation

To assess three-dimensional placental volume measurement and three-dimensional power Doppler (3D-PD) indices between 10 weeks and 6 days and 13 weeks and 6 days in predicting pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) and small for gestational age (SGA). Methods: Three hundred and eight women undergoing fetal nuchal translucency measurement were prospectively assessed using three-dimensional ultrasound in order to measure placental volume and 3D-PD indices: vascularization index (VI), flow index (FI) and vascularization flow index (VFI), using the VOCAL software. The outcome was scored as normal, PIH, SGA or both. Results: Eight women developed PIH and ten delivered SGA; and 17 developed PIH or SGA. The age, gestational age at the examination or delivery, number of the pregnancy and the nuchal translucency, were similar in all groups. The placental volume, FI and VFI were similar between the groups. The VI was significantly lower when PIH developed (7.86 ± 3.92 vs. 12.02 ± 7.09 in the normal group, P = 0.035). The crown-rump length (CRL) was significantly smaller in the group where either PIH or SGA developed compared to normal outcome (54.29 ± 6.50 and 59.04 ± 8.89, respectively, P = 0.02). Conclusion: Placental volume is not appropriate for early prediction of PIH or SGA, whereas the VI may be of some potential in detection of PIH. The significance of small CRL in these patients should be further tested.