Since the pathophysiology of PE is typically attributable to endothelial cell dysfunction in the placenta resulting in an impaired blood and nutrient supply to the placenta, some clinicians are using Doppler ultrasonography to assess the velocity of the blood flow in the uterine arteries. Studies have shown that pregnancies associated with an abnormal uterine Doppler after 24 weeks of gestation have a greater than six-fold increase in the rate of PE. However, this ultrasonographic practice is not yet a standard procedure for the screening of pregnant women for PE. Instead, Doppler ultrasound is often employed to closely monitor and assess fetal growth during pregnancy and in those patients with clinically diagnosed PE.
