The relationship between placental elasticity and prenatal serum screening markers and Doppler indices

INTRODUCTION: It has been shown that placental elasticity values were higher in pregnant women with preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction. The studies have been reported that prenatal serum screening markers and uterine artery Doppler parameters could be useful in the prediction of preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between placental elasticity values and these serum markers and Doppler indices in the first and second-trimester.
METHODS: 108 cases between 11-14 gestational weeks were enrolled for this study. Placental elasticity measurements were performed after the first-trimester combined test and Doppler assessment. The same procedures were repeated with the second-trimester triple test for 71 pregnant women who were followed-up. Correlation analysis of demographic characteristics, biochemical parameters and Doppler findings with placental elasticity values were performed.
RESULTS: In the first-trimester, we found a statistically significant and positive correlation between placental elasticity values and bilateral uterine artery notching (r =0.193, p = 0.045) and mean arterial pressure ( r =0.398, p < 0.001). Likewise, positive correlation was found between placental elasticity values and bilateral uterine artery notching (r =0.303, p = 0.023) and mean arterial pressure ( r = 0.274, p = 0.041) in the second-trimester.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Our study showed that placental elasticity values were positively correlated with mean arterial pressure and bilateral uterine artery notching in the first and second-trimesters. In light of these findings, the utility of placental elasticity measurment in early gestation to predict pathologies due to insufficient placentation has to be proven with comprehensive studies.