Echocardiographic Assessment of Ventricular Strain During a Healthy Pregnancy in the First, Second, and Third Trimester.

Echocardiographic Assessment of Ventricular Strain During a Healthy Pregnancy in the First, Second, and Third Trimester.

Pregnancy is a physiological situation that produces transient preload and afterload changes. The heart is subjected to reversible morphological remodelings and hemodynamic and functional adaptations. The characterization and understanding of maternal cardiac function during normal pregnancy by echocardiography 2D is of clinical importance for the opportune recognition of cardiac pathology.

This study aims to investigate pregnancy-induced changes in ventricular strain in healthy pregnant women by echocardiography.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age ≥18 years and < 35
• Patients who coursing the first trimester of pregnancy
• No history or symptoms of cardiovascular or lung disease
• No ongoing or previous cardio or vasoactive treatment
• Normal ECG
• Normal physical examination
• Able to give informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Poor acoustic window
• Obesity in the first trimester (body mass index [BMI], ≥30 kg/m2)
• Inability to provide consent.
• Tricuspid regurgitation more than mild
• Collagen disease
• Professional sports activity
• Twin pregnancy
• Hyperthyroidism