Fetal Systolic and Diastolic Cardiac Function Assessment in Mothers with Preeclampsia

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.