title: Pericardial effusion in normal pregnant women.
abstract: Fifty-two normally pregnant women underwent echocardiography to examine their pericardium in the first, second and third trimester. Pericardial effusion was noted in 15.3% of the women (n = 8) in the first trimester, 19.2% (n = 10) in the second trimester and 44.2% (n = 23) in the third trimester of pregnancy. Pericardial effusion during pregnancy was found to be completely resolved in all patients who underwent an echocardiogram 6 weeks post delivery (n = 11). There was no statistically significant difference in age, hemoglobin, total protein, albumin/globulin ratio or mean blood pressure during pregnancy between those who developed pericardial effusion and those who did not. The frequency of occurrence of pericardial effusion in primigravidas at 69.2% (9/13) was higher than that in multigravidas, with a ratio of 35.9% (14/39), the difference being statistically significant (p less than 0.025). The frequency of occurrence of pericardial effusion in patients who gained more than 12 kg during pregnancy at 67.7% (11/17) was higher than in patients who gained less than 12 kg, with a ratio of 34.3% (12/35), the difference being statistically significant (p less than 0.025).
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology, King Abdulaziz University, College of Medicine, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Abduljabbar
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Marzouki
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Zawawi
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Khan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010298:Parity; D010490:Pericardial Effusion / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015430:Weight Gain