Most expecting mothers in Jhansi are familiar with the routine pregnancy scans. The dating scan in the first trimester, the NT scan around 12 weeks, the anomaly scan at 20 weeks. These are well established and widely understood. What fewer mothers know about is the Doppler scan, a targeted study that assesses blood flow through the placenta, umbilical cord, and fetal blood vessels. At Jhansi Diagnostics & Fetal Medicine Centre, Dr Furquan Ahmad, MBBS MD, routinely recommends a Doppler scan before the third trimester for specific groups of patients, and his reasons for doing so are grounded in years of fetal medicine practice.
Here is why Dr Furquan Ahmad considers this scan so important, and who needs it most.
What Is a Doppler Scan?
A Doppler scan is a specialised type of ultrasound that measures the speed and direction of blood flow rather than simply producing a structural image. During a pregnancy Doppler, Dr Furquan Ahmad assesses blood flow through the umbilical artery, which carries blood from the baby to the placenta, the middle cerebral artery in the baby’s brain, and the uterine arteries, which supply blood to the placenta from the mother’s side.
Together, these measurements tell a detailed story about how well the placenta is functioning and how the baby is adapting to its environment inside the womb. A placenta that isn’t delivering adequate oxygen and nutrients will show characteristic changes in these blood flow patterns before the baby shows any outward signs of distress. This is exactly why Dr Furquan Ahmad values the Doppler scan so highly. It sees problems before they become crises. You can learn more about the ultrasound services including Doppler studies available at the centre on the dedicated page.
Why Before the Third Trimester?
The third trimester is when fetal growth accelerates most significantly. It is also when placental insufficiency, if present, tends to have its greatest impact. A placenta that has been functioning borderline adequately through the second trimester may struggle to keep up with the baby’s increasing demands in the final weeks of pregnancy.
Dr Furquan Ahmad recommends Doppler assessment before the third trimester because it establishes a baseline at a point when there is still time to act. If blood flow patterns show early signs of compromise at 26 or 28 weeks, the care plan can be adjusted immediately. Monitoring can be increased, the mother can be referred for specialist obstetric review, and delivery planning can begin at the right time if needed.
Waiting until the third trimester to investigate concerns that were already developing in the second trimester means losing the window where intervention is most effective. Early Doppler assessment closes that gap. If you have been referred for a fetal medicine consultation, Doppler studies are typically included as part of the assessment at Jhansi Diagnostics & Fetal Medicine Centre.
Who Does Dr Furquan Ahmad Recommend It For?
Not every pregnancy requires a Doppler scan as a routine measure. Dr Furquan Ahmad is clear about this. For a low-risk pregnancy progressing normally, standard scans at the appropriate intervals are sufficient. But for certain groups of patients, a Doppler scan before the third trimester is not optional. It’s essential.
Women with high blood pressure or pre-eclampsia are at the top of this list. High blood pressure affects the uterine arteries and can impair blood flow to the placenta significantly. A Doppler scan quantifies exactly how much the blood flow is affected and helps guide decisions about when to deliver.
Women carrying a baby with suspected or confirmed fetal growth restriction are another key group. When a baby is measuring small for gestational age, a Doppler scan tells Dr Furquan Ahmad whether the smallness is constitutional, meaning the baby is simply naturally small and healthy, or whether it reflects genuine nutritional and oxygen deprivation that needs active management.
Women with a history of placental problems, stillbirth, or previous growth-restricted pregnancies are also routinely referred for Doppler assessment earlier than standard protocols would suggest. Past placental complications are one of the strongest predictors of future ones, and early Doppler monitoring gives the clearest picture of how the current pregnancy is progressing.
Finally, women carrying twins, particularly identical twins sharing a placenta, benefit significantly from Doppler monitoring. Twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, where one twin receives disproportionately more blood flow than the other, is detectable through Doppler studies before it causes visible differences in the twins’ sizes or wellbeing.
What the Results Tell Dr Furquan Ahmad
When Dr Furquan Ahmad reviews a Doppler study, he is looking at waveform patterns in each vessel assessed. A normal umbilical artery waveform shows consistent forward blood flow throughout the cardiac cycle. As placental resistance increases due to insufficiency, the waveform changes in characteristic ways. Reduced end-diastolic flow is an early warning. Absent end-diastolic flow is a more serious finding. Reversed end-diastolic flow is a critical finding requiring immediate obstetric review.
The middle cerebral artery Doppler adds another layer of information. When a baby is under stress from reduced placental blood flow, it prioritises blood supply to its brain, a phenomenon called brain-sparing. This shows up as a change in the middle cerebral artery waveform and is an important marker of how the baby is coping. Identifying brain-sparing early allows Dr Furquan Ahmad to communicate a detailed and clinically actionable picture to the referring obstetrician.
Uterine artery Doppler, particularly useful in the second trimester, predicts the risk of developing pre-eclampsia and fetal growth restriction later in the pregnancy. Abnormal uterine artery waveforms at 20 to 24 weeks prompt closer monitoring through the remainder of the pregnancy.
What Happens After a Doppler Scan?
If the Doppler scan results are normal, that is genuinely reassuring information. It means placental blood flow is adequate at this stage and the baby is receiving what it needs. Depending on the clinical picture, Dr Furquan Ahmad will advise on whether a repeat Doppler is needed later in the pregnancy or whether standard monitoring is sufficient going forward.
If the results show early changes, the response depends on the severity and gestational age. Mild changes at 26 weeks warrant increased scan frequency and closer monitoring. More significant changes at a later gestation may prompt a hospital referral and delivery planning conversations. In all cases, having this information early is far better than discovering it late.
For any questions about Doppler scans or what to expect during the appointment, the FAQs page at Jhansi Diagnostics & Fetal Medicine Centre is a helpful starting point. You can also explore the full range of our services or get in touch through the contact us page.
Book Your Doppler Scan in Jhansi
For expecting mothers in Jhansi and across Bundelkhand who fall into any of the higher-risk categories Dr Furquan Ahmad has described, a Doppler scan before the third trimester is one of the most valuable investments in your pregnancy care. It takes no longer than a standard ultrasound, involves no discomfort, and provides information that no other test at this stage of pregnancy can give you.
Book your appointment at Jhansi Diagnostics & Fetal Medicine Centre and give your pregnancy the monitoring it deserves.
