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Objective

To determine the extent to which umbilical artery Doppler (UAD) S/D ratios were discordant between the individual umbilical arteries in fetuses with an estimated fetal weight less than the tenth percentile.

Study Design

This was a prospective observational study of singleton gestations with fetal growth restriction who presented to a tertiary referral center from 2012-2014. Growth-restricted fetuses were evaluated weekly with Doppler interrogation of the individual umbilical arteries and managed per departmental guidelines. Evaluation included obtaining 2 S/D ratios for each fetal umbilical artery. S/D ratios were classified as normal (per gestational age nomograms) or abnormal (elevated, absent, or reversed end-diastolic flow). Discordance was defined as a discrepancy in the findings between each artery, eg, normal UAD flow in one artery and elevated UAD flow in the other artery. Discordant results were …