Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Weerakkody Y, Elfeky M, Hancox J, et al. Umbilical venous flow assessment. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 16 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-13832
Umbilical venous flow in the physiological situation comprises of a monophasic non-pulsatile flow pattern in the umbilical vein with a mean velocity of 10-15 cm/s. Since a normal umbilical vein supplies a continuous forward flow of oxygenated blood to the fetal heart, the presence of pulsatility implies a pathological state unless in the following situations:
- early in pregnancy: up to ~13 weeks gestation
- the presence of pulsatility may be higher in chromosomally abnormal fetuses even in early pregnancy 5
- when confounded by other movement variables such as
- fetal breathing movement
- fetal hiccups 1
Pulsations of the umbilical venous system, especially double pulsations have been associated with increase in the perinatal mortality when associated with the absent and reversed end-diastolic flow velocity in the umbilical artery.
-
1. Zheng YT, Sampson MB, Soper R. The Significance of Umbilical Vein Doppler Changes during Fetal Hiccups J. Matern.-Fetal Investig. 1998;8 (2): 89-91. - Pubmed citation
-
2. Merz E. Ultrasound in obstetrics and gynecology, Gynecology. Thieme Publishing Group. (2007) ISBN:3137544025. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
-
3. Huisman TW. Doppler assessment of the fetal venous system. Semin. Perinatol. 2001;25 (1): 21-31. - Pubmed citation
-
4. Huisman TW, Stewart PA, Wladimiroff JW et-al. Flow velocity waveforms in the ductus venosus, umbilical vein and inferior vena cava in normal human fetuses at 12-15 weeks of gestation. Ultrasound Med Biol. 1993;19 (6): 441-5. - Pubmed citation
-
5. Brown RN, Di luzio L, Gomes C et-al. First trimester umbilical venous Doppler sonography in chromosomally normal and abnormal fetuses. J Ultrasound Med. 1999;18 (8): 543-6. J Ultrasound Med (abstract) - Pubmed citation
-
6. Kennedy AM, Woodward PJ. A Radiologist's Guide to the Performance and Interpretation of Obstetric Doppler US. (2019) Radiographics : a review publication of the Radiological Society of North America, Inc. 39 (3): 893-910. doi:10.1148/rg.2019180152 - Pubmed
Promoted articles (advertising)
Unable to process the form. Check for errors and try again.