title: Echocardiographic Assessment of Cardiac Changes During Normal Pregnancy Among Nigerians.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pregnancy is a physiological process associated with an increased hemodynamic load and cardiac structural remodeling. Limited echocardiographic information exists on cardiac chambers, left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic functions, and LV mass during trimesters of normal pregnancy among African women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Echocardiography was done at the beginning of the second trimester, beginning of the third trimester, and middle of the third trimester for 100 normal pregnant women and at one visit for age-matched 100 nonpregnant women. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 17 software. Analysis of variance was used to compare within trimesters, and a P value of <0.05 was considered significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean (SD) ages of the patients and controls were 28.20 (±5.91) and 28.35 (±6.06) years, respectively (age range = 19-44 years, P = 0.86). Cardiac chambers, LV systolic function, and LV mass and its index increased significantly during pregnancy. A significant increase in A-wave velocity but slight increase in E-wave velocity and a reduction in tissue e' velocity at the septal margin but a progressive increase in a' velocity were also observed (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cardiac chamber dimensions, LV wall thickness, and mass, most indices of LV systolic and diastolic function, though within normal range, were significantly higher in pregnant than in nonpregnant Nigerian women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Babcock University Teaching Hospital, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: V O
authors.initials: VO
authors.lastname: Adeyeye
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: M O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Balogun
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Adebayo
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Perinatology, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: O N
authors.initials: ON
authors.lastname: Makinde
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Osun State University, Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: P O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Akinwusi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Ajayi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Ogunyemi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: A O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Akintomide
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: E O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Ajayi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Adeyeye
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: T O
authors.initials: TO
authors.lastname: Ojo
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Federal Medical Centre, Abuja, Nigeria.
authors.forename: O O
authors.initials: OO
authors.lastname: Abiodun
keywords: Nigerian; cardiac; echocardiography; pregnancy