Fetal Cardiac Function

Preeclampsia (PE) represent a major concern in public health, affecting 2-8% of all pregnancies and considered one of the leading causes of perinatal morbidity and mortality. Fetal growth restriction (FGR) ia also a common health problem affecting about 5-10% of all pregnancies and commonly associates with preeclampsia . It is estimated that 20% of cases of PE present with FGR and about 50% of early-onset FGR cases will eventually coexist with PE .

Both syndromes share some pathophysiologic features, with a variable involvement of placental insufficiency and cause fetal cardiovascular remodeling and adaptations . Fetal adaptations as metabolic and cardiovascular programming occur in response to adverse intrauterine conditions as PE and FGR . Offspring from preeclamptic pregnancies showed cardiac structural and functional changes and greater blood pressure in childhood and adolescence .

Most of the studies on FGR included pregnancies complicated by PE and vice versa, which fails to adequately assess the independent effect of each condition on the fetal cardiac functions.

Inclusion criteria

• Pregnant women more than or equals 28 weeks
• Preeclampsia defined as systolic blood pressure 140 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure 90 mm Hg
• Fetus with normal growth or with growth restriction

Exclusion criteria

• congenital malformations
• intrauterine infection
• multiple pregnancies
• fetuses of mothers treated with a tocolytic agent
• fetuses with abnormal heart rates (tachycardia or bradycardia)