How is umbilical cord blood testing performed?

Umbilical cord blood testing, medically known as umbilical blood flow examination, is a non-invasive test used to monitor placental circulation. Checking umbilical blood flow is relatively simple and is actually performed using four-dimensional color Doppler ultrasound. This technique uses color Doppler ultrasound to measure the ratio of peak systolic velocity to end-diastolic velocity in the umbilical artery, along with resistance index and pulsatility index, to assess umbilical blood flow. The test can be conducted either in the outpatient color ultrasound room at a hospital or in the obstetric fetal heart monitoring ward.