Nomograms of the fetal heart between 16 and 39 weeks of gestation.

OBJECTIVE

To establish the normal fetal cardiac measurement from 16 to 39 weeks' gestation in Thai fetuses.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

Four hundred and eighty normal singleton pregnant women were recruited into the present study. The sonographic measurements were obtained from axial scans at the level of the four-chamber view.

RESULTS

The regression model for cardiac circumference (CC), thoracic circumference (TC), thickness of left ventricular wall during diastole (LVW), diameter of left ventricle during diastole (LVD) and systole (LVS) and thickness of interventricular septum during diastole (IVS) were best fit by allowing a polynomial for gestational age. The cardiothoracic ratio (CTR) and shortening fraction of left ventricle (SFLV) were not statistically different with advancing gestation.

CONCLUSION

The normal values of fetal CC, TC, CTR, LVW, LVD, LVS, IVS and SFLV during gestation were established These data could serve as a standard to investigate cardiac change in pregnancies with fetuses at risk.