| Description |
The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not a relationship exists between the uterine placental site and the birth weight of infants delivered from a low risk population and to establish the Doppler as a reliable instrument for placental localization before delivery. The sample consisted of 26 Caucasian primiparous and multiparous women who were delivering a full-term infant by elective Cesarian section. Twenty-one of the 26 infants were considered for statistical analysis. Sixteen women were examined for location of the placenta with the Doppler before delivery. There was no significant relationship between placental site, segment and wall and infant birth weight. However, a significant correlation was found between placental site and birth length, placental weight, infant's gestational age, and maternal gravida. A comparison was made between placental site and the mean value for maternal gravida and months since last pregnancy, infant's gestational age on Dubowitz assessment, placental weight, birth weight, length, and occipital frontal circumference (OFC). It was noted that the greatest birth weight for placental site was associated with an anterior/ posterior fundal position and the second ranking birth weight with a placental site in the upper uterine segment on the anterior/posterior wall. The agreement between the placenta localization with the Doppler before delivery and manual removal varied considerably. When the placenta was located in the fundus on the anterior wall, 100% accuracy was achieved, 70% with an upper uterine segment posterior wall placental site, 50% with a posterior fundal site, 30% with an anterior upper uterine segment site, and 0% accuracy with an anterior lower uterine segment site. |
