The study of fetal cardiac function at the end of first trimester has not been investigated properly, and there is a lack of reference values at early gestational weeks. For this reason, a team of researchers from Dexeus Mujer, led by Dr Pilar Prats, has conducted a prospective observational study in collaboration with the Hospital Vithas 9 Octubre in Valencia.

Its aim was to assess whether the measurement of time-related cardiac function parameters in the left ventricle of the fetal heart was feasible and reproducible at the end of the first trimester. A total of 409 cases were recruited but only 296 could be included in the statistical analysis once the exclusion criteria were applied.

The authors conclude that the study of fetal cardiac function is feasible and reproducible between 11 and 13+6 gestational weeks, and provide nomograms of the parameters studied, so that they can be used to assess normality or pathological deviation in early pregnancy. These new data are of great interest, especially in high-risk pregnancies, which could benefit from early evaluation.

The paper has been published in the journal AJOG Global Reports and is available online.