title: Fetal heart assessment in the first trimester of pregnancy: influence of crown-rump length and maternal body mass index.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the influence of the crown-rump length and body mass index on sonographic evaluation of the fetal heart using abdominal and vaginal routes in the first trimester of pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a cross-sectional study with 57 pregnant women between 12-14 weeks (CRL< 84 mm). We evaluated the following fetal cardiac plans using the abdominal and vaginal routes: four-chamber view, right ventricle outflow tract, left ventricle outflow tract and aortic arch. We used the B-mode, color Doppler and four-dimensional ultrasonography (spatio-temporal image correlation). To evaluate the influence of crown-rump length and body mass index in the assessment of fetal cardiac planes, we used the t test unpaired.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no statistically significant differences in the rates of success and failure between abdominal and vaginal routes in relation to body mass index, however, there was a higher failure rate in vaginal assessment using B mode associated with color Doppler (P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The crown-rump length and body mass index had no interference in fetal cardiac assessment in the first trimester of pregnancy.
authors.forename: David Baptista Silva
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Pares
authors.forename: Angélia Iara Felipe
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Araujo Júnior
authors.forename: Luciano Marcondes Machado
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Nardozza
authors.forename: Wellington P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Antonio Fernandes
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Moron
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018568:Crown-Rump Length; D005260:Female; D005318:Fetal Heart / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult