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Maternal low molecular weight heparin versus sildenafil citrate for fetal growth restriction: a randomized, parallel groups, open-label clinical trial

Journal of Perinatology volume 40, pages 715–723 (2020)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Objectives

To compare the effect of sildenafil citrate (SC) and low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) on neonatal birth weight (BW) and the fetoplacental blood flow in pregnancies with FGR.

Study design

A parallel groups, randomized clinical trial was conducted at a university hospital, between June 2017 and September 2018, involving 100 pregnant women with placental mediated FGR between 28 and 35 weeks of gestation who were randomly assigned to receive either SC or LMWH started at FGR diagnosis till delivery.

Results

The neonatal BW in LMWH group was higher than SC group (p < 0.000) with a longer time from randomization till delivery, LMWH group had significant improvement in Ut A PI, UA PI, and MCA PI compared with SC treated group with p values 0.005, <0.000001, and 0.014, respectively.

Conclusion

The neonatal BW, time from randomization to delivery, and fetoplacental blood flow indices were significantly better with LMWH use compared with SC.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the participants of this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

    R. Rasheedy, G. El Bishry & R. Tarek

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  1. R. Rasheedy
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Contributions

RR contributed in literature search, study design, data analysis, data interpretation, and drafted the article, EBG contributed in literature search, data analysis, and supervision, and TR was responsible for data collection.

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Correspondence to R. Rasheedy.

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Rasheedy, R., El Bishry, G. & Tarek, R. Maternal low molecular weight heparin versus sildenafil citrate for fetal growth restriction: a randomized, parallel groups, open-label clinical trial. J Perinatol 40, 715–723 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-019-0544-1

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