Role of ultrasound in pre-eclampsia

Abstract

Pre-eclampsia (PE), defined as de novo hypertension (>140/90 mmHg) appearing after 20 weeks of gestation accompanied by proteinuria (>0.3 g/24 h), remains a major source of perinatal growth restriction, prematurity and death worldwide. Since its introduction practitioners have increasingly utilized fetal ultrasonography for the management of pre-eclampsia. Ultrasonographic diagnostic modalities including fetal biometric growth curves, the biophysical profile and umbilical artery Doppler have been used to detect fetal growth restriction and assess fetal wellbeing, respectively. Doppler studies of the middle cerebral and uterine arteries offer additional utility in the prediction of adverse pregnancy outcomes and as a potential screening test for pre-eclampsia. The purpose of this review was to explore the developments of ultrasound technology that have been relevant to the screening, diagnosis and management of pre-eclampsia.