INVESTIGATING THE ASSOCIATION OF UMBILICAL CORD CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA AND INTRAUTERINE GROWTH RESTRICTION IN PREGNANT WOMEN

Backgrund & Aim: Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR) can increase perinatal mortality by 10 to 25 percent.Scientific evidence has shown that umbilical cord characteristics are vital markers for assessing intrauterine complications.The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between umbilical cord cross-sectional area and intrauterine growth restriction in pregnant women.Materials & Methods: In this cross-sectional analytical study, 134 pregnant women were selected through convenience sampling.Patients underwent transabdominal ultrasonography using a Samsung W80 ultrasound device with a 3.5 MHz probe.The diameter and cross-sectional area of the umbilical cord were measured at two points (the junction of the umbilical cord to the abdomen and the free loop) during the third trimester of pregnancy.The results of fetal biometric ultrasound, including BPD, FL, HC, and AC, were also recorded.IUGR was defined as an estimated weight by ultrasound below the 10th percentile for gestational age.Results: Nineteen infants (14.2%) had IUGR.All biometric indices in the IUGR group were significantly lower than those in the non-IUGR group (p < 0.001).The umbilical cord diameter in the IUGR group (11.52 1.26) was significantly lower than that in the non-IUGR group (14.82 1.45) (p < 0.001).The umbilical cord cross-sectional area was also significantly lower in the IUGR group (125.11 17.2) compared to the non-IUGR group (175.51 31.41) (p < 0.001).There was a direct and significant correlation between both umbilical cord diameter and cross-sectional area with all fetal characteristics (p < 0.001). Conclusion:The results of the study showed that infants with IUGR had lower biometric indices, and both the diameter and cross-sectional area of the umbilical cord were significantly smaller in these infants.These findings suggest the potential use of umbilical cord measurements as an auxiliary tool in the diagnosis or risk assessment of IUGR.