ABSTRACT
Objective: To evaluate the difference between fetal renal artery Doppler and fetal kidney volume in normal and intrauterine growth restricted fetuses
Design: A prospective cross sectional study
Setting: Obstetrics and Gynecology department, Al-Azhar University
Sample: One hundred pregnant women, 50 with normal fetal growth parameter, and 50 with restricted fetal growth
Methods: Fetal renal volume was measured using 3-dimensional ultrasound. Umbilical artery and fetal renal artery Doppler indices were examined
Main outcome measures: Correlation of Doppler parameter to fetal kidney volume, and association of fetal biometric indices to combined fetal kidney volume
Results: Combined fetal renal volume was significantly reduced in growth restricted fetuses than in normally grown fetuses as the Mean of combined renal volume in IUGR was [21.0 +/- 0.1] while in normal fetuses was [31.24 +/- 2.31]. All fetal biometric indices were positively associated with combined kidney volume. Concerning the umbilical artery Doppler and fetal renal artery Doppler there was significantly difference between the two groups as the intrauterine growth restricted fetuses have a high Doppler
Conclusion: Intrauterine growth restriction appears to be associated with a statistically significant decrease in the renal volume than the normally growth fetuses. The renal artery Doppler shows also significant difference between the two groups, which matches with other studies. This study supports the hypothesis that intrauterine growth restriction may be linked to renal disease and hypertension in late life and renal volume can be used as a parameter for diagnosis of IUGR