Objectives: To investigate both perinatal and postneonatal morbidity and mortality in fetuses with absent or reversed end-diastolic flow (ARED flow) in the umbilical artery.
Study design: A 5 year prospective follow-up of 88 fetuses with ARED flow.
Results: Sixteen stillbirths, 16 neonatal deaths, six postneonatal deaths and one death at 2 years of age were noted. Out of the 42 fetuses born alive, 36 showed a normal neurological development whereas six were mentally handicapped. Adverse prognosis was more frequently found in the group with absent end-diastolic flow at first examination and then reversed flow until delivery, compared to the groups of always absent or always reversed end-diastolic flows.
Conclusions: Prompt delivery is recommended in these high-risk pregnancies in order to prevent long-term sequelae, obviously depending on the local limits of viability. Further studies appropriately designed for assessing long-term neurodevelopment of fetuses with ARED flow, although demanding, are mandatory.