Antepartum determination of pre-ejection period of fetal cardiac cycle: its relation to newborn body weight.

Simultaneous recordings of the fetal electrocardiogram and ultrasound Doppler-cardiogram were used for the determination of the pre-ejection period (PEP) of the fetal cardiac cycles. All 50 fetuses selected for the present study experienced uneventful perinatal lives despite maternal antepartum complications which required hospitalization. A significant positive correlation between the PEP and gestational age of the fetuses was again demonstrated. The PEP of the fetus measured within one week prior to delivery was also found to be significantly correlated with the newborn body weights at birth. Statistical analysis demonstrates that fetal body weight was more closely related to the physiologic lengthening of the PEP.