ArticleScandinavian journal of primary health care2021
Handheld transabdominal ultrasound, after limited training, may confirm first trimester viable intrauterine pregnancy: a prospective cohort study.
Article in Scandinavian journal of primary health care, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed, 14 citations in OpenAlex.
- Accuracy of portable ultrasound machines for obstetric biometry.Ultrasound in obstetrics & gynecology : the official journal of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology · 2024Observational
- Comparison of the application value of transvaginal ultrasound and transabdominal ultrasound in the diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy.World journal of clinical cases · 2023Article
- Article
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3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
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No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesHandheld point-of-care abdominal ultrasound (POCUS) may be used by primary care physicians while vaginal ultrasound is limited to use in specialist care. We aimed to compare abdominal handheld ultrasound to vaginal ultrasound in determining first trimester viable intrauterine pregnancy and estimate gestational length.
designProspective cohort study.
settingGynaecologic outpatient clinic; women referred from GPs during early pregnancy. Handheld ultrasound using VscanExtend SUBJECTS: Women in the first trimester of pregnancy referred for termination of pregnancy or with symptoms of early pregnancy complications.
main outcome measuresRate of confirming vital intrauterine pregnancy (visualizing foetal heart beats) and measurement of crown-rump length (CRL) using handheld abdominal versus vaginal ultrasound.
resultsIn all 100 women were included; 86 confirmed as viable intrauterine pregnancies and 14 pathological pregnancies (miscarriages/extrauterine pregnancies). Handheld abdominal ultrasound detected fetal heartbeats in 63/86 (73% sensitivity) of healthy pregnancies and confirmed lack of fetal heartbeats in all pathological pregnancies, total positive predictive value (PPV) 100% and total negative predictive value (NPV) 38%. From gestational week 7, handheld abdominal ultrasound confirmed vitality in 51/54 patients: PPV 100% and NPV 79%. CRL (
conclusionHandheld ultrasound has an excellent prediction confirming viable intrauterine pregnancy from gestational week 7. Validation studies are needed to confirm whether the method is suitable in primary care assessing early pregnancy complications.KEY POINTSWhen early pregnancy vitality needs to be confirmed, women will traditionally be referred to secondary care for transvaginal comprehensive ultrasonography performed with high-end devices by imaging specialists.In this study personnel with limited former training (fourth-year medical students) performed transabdominal POCUS using a handheld device, investigating 100 first trimester pregnancies for confirmation of viability.Using handheld ultrasound viable pregnancy was confirmed from gestational week 7 with 79% positive and 100% negative predictive value.If handheld ultrasound used in primary care confirms vital intrauterine pregnancy, the need for specialist referral could be reduced.
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