Transvaginal color Doppler sonography has provided the capability to qualitatively evaluate blood flow in small branches of the uterine arteries, umbilical cord arteries, and intraplacental fetal arteries in early pregnancy. Accurate identification of these small vessels and analysis of their flow characteristics have improved our understanding of the physiology and pathophysiology of early pregnancy that alters the umbilicaluteroplacental circulations. Further development of this technique may help to predict fetal outcome in highrisk pregnancies and in pregnancies with complications, such as intrauterine growth retardation, preeclampsia, and trophoblastic invasion.
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