Uterine artery Doppler - abnormal and scared

[FunnyHazelPeer]

I had my first child at 33wks due to preeclampsia. Symptoms came on at 30 weeks.
High BP has remained but consultant happy with meds and my readings.

I’ve had my 20wk scan today and I’m so upset
I had the Doppler and results are as followed
Right uterine artery 0.88PI
Left uterine artery 1.70 PI
Mean PI 1.29

The sonogropher said the left was abnormal was high.
I’m so upset as have read this is an early sign of preeclampsia. I’m so scared to go through this all again.

Any positive stories around this?
Thanks

can they put you on baby aspirin ?

This hasn’t actually changed your care in any meaningful way.

You know that you are at increased risk of pre-eclampsia (usually later and less severe in subsequent pregnancies) and are hopefully taking aspirin.

What would have happened if the scan did not show increased resistance? You are still going to take aspirin, nobody is going to say that you don’t need additional scans.

The scan has confirmed what you already knew - that you are at increased risk of developing pre eclampsia. Nothing has changed.

Very best wishes.

I would have expected you to be on 150mg a day of aspirin from your booking appointment. Especially given you’ve had a previous preterm delivery and PET.

As to what’s going to happen, no one can say for certain. Each pregnancy is different, and things can change from one scan to the next.

If you have a pregnancy with PET the first time, you’ve got a one in four chance of having it in the next. The good thing is that they’re going to be monitoring you closely this time around. Have they offered you an S-fit blood test? It’s a test designed to detect early signs of PET.

Otherwise, the best thing you can do is to try and take it one day at a time.

Hello OP.
I can tell how worried you are.

It was always going to be likely that you'd get PE again.

I'm sure you're on aspirin, which definitely helps.

It's usual, if you get PE in a second or subsequent pregnancy, that it's less severe than in the first - but this isn't always the case.

Your pre-eclampsia started quite early in your first pregnancy. To know, at 20 weeks in this one, that you're getting it again, must be very upsetting.

Are you worried about having to leave your first child at home, if you're admitted this time? Or just worried generally for yourself and for the new baby?

Whichever it is, at least they've found it early this time, and will take very great care of you.

Thanks all. Yes on asprin.

I suppose you are all right in terms of nothing will change and they will monitor it.

does anyone know if it’s a positive sign than one side seemed to be ok?

Does anyone know if it’s a positive sign than one side seemed to be ok

It's really only the mean (average between the two sides) that is relevant @FunnyHazelPeer

So it's the "mean" figure which is significant and that's what they go on.

It doesn't actually matter that one was okay and the other wasn't.

Just to update as I know I look back at older posts, and updates help.

I saw my consultant, he said he wasn’t worried at this point. Flow in the placenta usually changes again by 26 weeks, so there is a chance of improvement.

I’m having the preeclampsia blood test, think it’s called PIGF. At 24 weeks, which will also be a good indicator.

Still quite anxious about everything, however I keep telling myself I can’t control anything - so trying to keep calm :) x

Ah, sorry that this is causing you stress OP, and that youve previously had preeclampsia. I had this in both pregnancies. First one, i was on baby asprin and never developed preeclampsia (high BP from 37+6, DD1 born at 38w). Second pregnancy, no baby asprin (no idea why, in hindsight I should have just taken it myself!), high BP from 36w but able to be controlled until 39+1 when it turned into preeclampsia and DD2 born at 39+3. It sounds like your team are on it so sending you all the best and hoping you and baby stay well until delivery 💐

The Fetal medicine foundation have a calculator for uterine artery Doppler PI measurements. Only the mean value is relevant, and yours is normal. It’s not unusual to have one side PI higher than the other, especially if the placenta is more on the right (lower PI value) perhaps.
Try not to worry too much, hope all goes well

Update at 26+4. Growth scan went well, Doppler was perfect. Baby measuring on 80th percentile.
everything was great except BP was high, but was fine at home! So going to keep checking at home and report to consultant.

I'm glad things are going better for you now @FunnyHazelPeer and thanks for updating.

final update -
beautiful healthy baby girl born last week at 39+1 for a planned section.
no issues with placenta throughout, on the morning of my planned section I had some protein in my urine… so potentially had the start of preeclampsia, however was already fully at term.

the scariest things really can bring the most beautiful moments xx

Amazing news .. biggest congratulations.. can I ask how long did you stay on aspirin ? Did they advise you stop at 36 weeks at all ?

Aw, many congratulations on the birth of your daughter!
♥️♥️

Yes I stopped at 36weeks!