Contribution of Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound in Studying Fetal-Placental Circulation During Medical Termination of Pregnancy

What this Trial Is About

Preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) are major pregnancy complications related to problems in the placenta's blood vessels, but their causes are not fully understood. Currently, no treatments target these conditions directly, and delivering the baby early is the only option to prevent serious complications like fetal death. Researchers aim to better understand how blood flows through the placenta during healthy and complicated pregnancies using new imaging techniques. This study compares placental blood flow in women undergoing medical termination of pregnancy between 16 and 38 weeks of gestation. It involves 30 women divided into two groups: those with severe fetal growth restriction and those without. The study uses contrast-enhanced ultrasound with SonoVue, a contrast agent injected into the mother, to separately examine blood flow on the maternal and fetal sides of the placenta. This method is being tested for safety and usefulness in providing detailed placental blood flow information. Participants will undergo placental ultrasound scans to measure blood flow signals and vascular parameters during the study day. Histological analysis of the placenta will also be performed after termination to compare with imaging results. The main measure is the strength of the ultrasound signal, with additional assessments of blood flow in specific placental areas. The study will last about 48 months and includes follow-up to analyze vascularization over an average of 24 months.

Study of Placental Vascularization Using Contrast Ultrasound