Study of fetal tracheal fluid velocities using Doppler ultrasound

Grangé, Gilles; Bernabé-Dupont, Céline; Cabrol, Dominique

doi:10.1016/j.ejogrb.2009.10.020

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Volume 148, Issue 2 , Pages 141-143, February 2010

Study of fetal tracheal fluid velocities using Doppler ultrasound

Maternité Port-Royal, Groupe Hospitalier Cochin Saint Vincent De Paul, APHP, Université Paris Descartes, Fondation PremUp, Paris, France

Received 25 February 2009; received in revised form 5 July 2009; accepted 19 October 2009. published online 09 November 2009.

Abstract

Objective

To characterize tracheal fluid flow during fetal breathing movements by Doppler ultrasound.

Study design

To use pulsed Doppler to measure flow velocity during inspiration and expiration in a cross-sectional study of 15 normal fetuses and determine the correlation, if any, between flow velocity and gestational age.

Results

Cyclic respiratory profiles – both regular and irregular – were observed. Intratracheal flow velocity was very elevated during inspiration, ranging from 10 to 80cm/s and from 5 to 20cm/s during expiration.

Conclusion

This technique enables the noninvasive semiquantitative evaluation of fetal breathing movements. This Doppler application opens the field for future studies to characterize the extent of pulmonary hypoplasia.

Keywords: Fetal breathing movements, Fetal trachea, Tracheal fluid flow, Doppler ultrasound