RESUMO
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between umbilical coiling index and Doppler velocimetry in umbilical artery. The umbilical coiling index was calculated by dividing the total number of helices by the entire cord length(in centimeter) postnatally between December 1995 and March 1996. Doppler flow velocities were obtained from the umbilical artery bifore delivery( within 3 days). The mean umbilical coiling index was 0.17 +/- 0.09 )n=186). The subjects with umbilical coiling indices below the tenth percentile(0.08), above the 90th percentile(0.3), and between the tenth and 90th percentile were defined as hypocoiled, hypercoiled, and normocoiled. The subjects with hypocoiled and hypercoiled cords did not differ from those with normocoiled cords in perinatal outcomes. The correlations between umbilical coiling index and umnilical artery systolic-diastolic ratio were not significang(r=0.015, p < 0.05). The subjects with umbilical artery systolic-diastolic ratio above 90th percentile(3.0) differed from those with below 90th percentile in several ways : fetal heart rate disturbances, birth weight, intrauterine growth retardation and admission to intensive care unit were higher in high S-D ratio group. This study suggest that the umbilical coiling level dose not interfere umbilical aretery flow.