Question
I’m about to be 22 weeks pregnant. The doctor said my umbilical cord blood flow ratio is high. What is the normal standard for it?
Answer
The umbilical cord blood flow ratio is a measure used to gauge the fetal blood supply and oxygenation status, as well as to determine whether the placenta is functioning normally. It refers to the ratio of the maximum blood flow velocity in the fetal umbilical artery during systole to the end-diastolic blood flow velocity. Under normal pregnancy conditions, as the gestational age increases, the fetus requires more blood supply, so the umbilical cord blood flow ratio tends to decrease. The range of umbilical cord blood flow ratios varies slightly with different gestational ages. For near-term pregnancies, an umbilical cord blood flow ratio less than 3 is generally considered normal. If the umbilical cord blood flow ratio is high, it may indicate conditions such as fetal growth restriction, pregnancy-induced hypertension, umbilical cord abnormalities, or gestational diabetes. It’s important to communicate with your doctor and undergo relevant examinations promptly.