The evaluation of the effect of fetal gender on the umbilical artery and middle cerebral artery Doppler findings

Objective

The evaluation of the effect of fetal gender on the umbilical artery and middle cerebral artery doppler findings is aimed.

Methods

60 singleton healthy pregnancies admitted to the perinatology outpatient clinic during their third trimester between 2013-2014 are included in the study. Their umbilical artery (UA) and middle cerebral artery (MCA) doppler measurements are evaluated retrospectively from the ultrasound files. UA and MCA doppler calculations are performed with 3 consecutive vawe forms. The pregnancies were divided into 2 groups according to the fetal gender (31 female fetus and 29 male fetus). The difference between two groups was analysed with SPSS v.20.

Results 

Maternal age was 29.14 ± 6.21 in female and 31.88 ± 5.16 in male groups (p=0.162); mean gestational week was 31.71 ± 3.77 in female and 33.88 ± 4.41 in male groups (p=0.111). UA PI was 1.00 ± 0.24 and 1.03 ± 0.21 in female and male fetuses, respectively (p=0.761). MCA PI was 2.16 ± 0.67 and 1.84 ± 0.85 in female and male fetuses, respectively (p=0.197).

Conclusion 

The current concept is not to ignore the fetal gender during the intrauterine life. The decrease in MCA resistance should be confirmed in larger studies.
 

Keywords

Fetal gender; Doppler; Umbilical artery