Evaluation of fetal cardiac contractility by two-dimensional ultrasonography.
OBJECTIVE
Evaluation of fetal cardiac contractility by two-dimensional ultrasonography and construction of nomograms of area shortening fraction, end-diastolic area and end-systolic area of fetal cardiac ventricles during uncomplicated pregnancy.


METHODS
Fetal echocardiography was performed on 160 pregnant women between 14 and 28 weeks' gestation. Measurements were taken on the four-chamber view. The area of each ventricle was measured by tracing the endocardium at the end of systole and at the end of diastole. Area shortening fraction was calculated by the following formula: SF = (Ad - As)/Ad (SF--area shortening fraction, Ad--end-diastolic ventricular area, As--end-systolic ventricular area).


RESULTS
A statistically significant increase in normal fetal area shortening fraction, end-diastolic area and end-systolic area of both ventricles with advancing gestational age was established. There were no significant differences in the area shortening fraction between right and left ventricles.


CONCLUSIONS
Area shortening fraction shows good correlation with gestational age. Nomogram of area shortening fraction, end-diastolic area and end-systolic area of both ventricles can be used as the reference for evaluation of ventricle size and cardiac contractility in normal and pathological cases.
Goldinfeld
Michael
M
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Poriya Government Hospital, Tiberias, Israel.
Weiner
Ehud
E
Peleg
David
D
Shalev
Eliezer
E
Ben-Ami
Moshe
M
D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005318:Fetal Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D015588:Observer Variation; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D012044:Regression Analysis; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000379:methods*; D016276:Ventricular Function / Q000502:physiology*