Fetal Left Ventricular Morphology And Diastolic Function In Diabetic Pregnancy: Prenatal Echocardiographic Study

Objective: To assess and to compare fetal left ventricular morphology and left ventricular diastolic function in pregnancies with diabetes and in normal pregnancies using fetal echocardiography.Methods: 34 cases of fetal hearts in pregnancies with diabetes and 54 cases of fetal hearts in normal pregnancies were prospectively studied by using the detailed fetal echocardiography for two times, (fetus gestational age from 20 weeks to 28 weeks and 32 to 38 weeks). The parameters of mitral valve and pulmonary venous flow were measured and E/A ratio, S/D ratio were calculated. Isovolumetric relaxation time, E wave deceleration time, interventricular septum thickness, Left ventricular post wall thickness, left ventricular diastolic dimentions, left ventricular fractional shortening, left ventricular ejection fraction, left ventricular mass were abtained. These variables were then analyzed using an unpaired 2-tailed Student t test.Results: Fetal pulmonary venous flow peak systolic/peak diastolic ratio, presystolic velocity, septal thickness and left ventricular mass in diabetic pregnancies were different from those of control group (P<0.05 ). The parameters of mitral valve, isovolumetric relaxation time, E wave deceleration time, left ventricular contract function had no evident difference between two groups (P>0.05) .Conclusions: The fetuses of diabetic pregnancies demonstrated signsof altered left ventricular morphology and left ventricular diastolic function . Fetal pulmonary venous flow peak systolic/peak diastolic ratio, presystolic velocity, septal thickness and left ventricular mass were more sensitive than other parameters to reflect the variation of fetal left ventricular morphology and diastolic function.