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Feb 6, 2024 at 7:12 AM Update: 9 hours ago
Doctors can use a special ultrasound to see whether small fetuses are healthy or facing health problems in the womb. This way, doctors know whether a fetus that is smaller than average needs extra attention.
This is evident from a new study by the Amsterdam UMC, the UMCG in Groningen and seventeen other Dutch hospitals. This is a so-called Doppler measurement.
This Doppler measurement is not new. The ultrasound measures the blood flow in the umbilical cord and the head of an unborn baby.
But the Doppler measurement can also make it clear whether the placenta is working properly or not, the scientists conclude. This is especially important in the case of small fetuses, says gynecologist and research leader Wessel Ganzevoort.
About 10 percent of unborn babies are smaller than normal. If a small fetus is healthy, no intervention is necessary. But in small fetuses with a poorly functioning placenta, it is important that action is taken. If a placenta functions less well, the risk of health problems such as lack of oxygen increases.
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It is best for the fetus to remain in the womb as long as possible
The scientists also concluded that it is unnecessary to induce labor before the 37th week if an abnormality has been found. “It is better for the baby to remain in the womb as long as possible, as long as there are no additional risks of health problems,” says the Amsterdam UMC.
The special ultrasound is not yet performed in all hospitals. “By adding the Doppler measurement to the care of these small babies, the higher risk of problems surrounding childbirth can be better detected and monitored,” says Mauritia Marijnen, PhD candidate at Amsterdam UMC.
“Small babies whose measurements are normal can also be monitored less intensively. There is therefore a greater chance that the birth will proceed naturally without intervention.”
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