Doppler velocimetry findings and outcomes in pregnant women with maternal anemia: A prospective cohort study

Background: Approximately one-third of pregnant women in the world are estimated to have anemia with 50% in Nigeria. This study compared the pattern of Doppler velocimetry umbilical artery (UA), middle cerebral artery (MCA), and perinatal outcomes in the third trimester of anemic and nonanemic women. Methods: There was a prospective cohort study involving 336 low-risk booked antenatal care attendees with gestational age of 34 weeks till term with anemia/study and without anemia/reference group. Data were collected and analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences for Windows version 20. Results: Sociodemographic characteristics of both the groups were similar. Among the participants, 28.6% had mild anemia, 17.8% had moderate anemia, and 53.6% were nonanemic. Biometric characteristics of foetuses in the anemic group were lower than the nonanemic group ( P < 0.001) except for abdominal circumference. The UA pulsatility index was lower in the anemic group (0.69 ± 0.3) compared to the nonanemic group (0.70 ± 0.3) ( P < 0.001), while the systolic/diastolic (S/D) ratios and resistance indices (RIs) revealed no significant differences for both the groups. The MCA velocimetric parameters showed no significant differences in the S/D ratios and pulsatility and RIs between both the groups. The mean birth weight of newborns (3.1 ± 0.3 kg) and Apgar score at 5 min (9.0 ± 0.6) were similar in both the groups. Conclusion: Maternal anemia was linked to reduced fetal biometry, but mild-to-moderate anemia showed no significant Doppler or perinatal differences. Further studies are recommended to determine whether a risk-based approach to fetal Doppler monitoring, focused on women with additional risk factors, can better predict adverse outcomes and guide targeted interventions.