J Korean Pediatr Soc.  1998 Dec;41(12):1639-1649.

Cardiovascular Doppler Flow Waveforms in Human Fetuses

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

PURPOSE: Doppler echocardiography has been used to identify fetal cardiac anatomy and hemodynamics. It can estimate flow velocity, volume, and cardiac output. The purpose of this study was to look at cardiovascular waveforms in fetus and to see if there were any changes in Doppler parameter with fetal growth.
METHODS
Blood velocity studies were performed across the mitral, tricuspid, aortic, pulmonic valve, and umblical artery in 124 normal fetuses between 20 and 40 weeks of gestational age.
RESULTS
Early diastole (E), atrial contraction (A), and the ratio of E to A of mitral and tricuspid valve increased significantly as gestational age advanced, but there was no statistical significance. Mitral and tricuspid velocity were similar. Aortic velocity was significantly higher than pulmonic velocity. Peak velocity, flow integral, Acceleration time (AT), Ejection time (ET) and AT/ET in aorta and pulmonary artery increased significantly as gestational age advanced. Fetal heart rate decreased as gestational age advanced, but there was no statistical significance. Pulsatility index of umblical artery decreased significantly as gestational age advanced.
CONCLUSION
Fetal Doppler echocardiography is useful for evaluating fetal cardiac anatomy and cardiovascular function. These normal parameters may be helpful in comparing with fetal congenital heart disease.

Keyword

Fetal echocardiography; Cardiovascular flow waveform

MeSH Terms

Acceleration
Aorta
Arteries
Cardiac Output
Diastole
Echocardiography, Doppler
Female
Fetal Development
Fetus*
Gestational Age
Heart Defects, Congenital
Heart Rate, Fetal
Hemodynamics
Humans*
Pregnancy
Pulmonary Artery
Tricuspid Valve
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