Fetal aorta assessment and cardiovascular biophysical indices in small for gestational age fetuses

Abstract

Background: Cardiovascular disease ranks among the foremost causes of morbidity in adults and recent studies indicate that the process of atheromatosis appears to commence as early as fetal life. This study examined differences in several fetal aorta parameters between AGA and SGA fetuses.

Methods: This was a prospective cohort study that included a total of 198 women with singleton pregnancies, assessed between 31 and 34 weeks of gestation. Each fetus underwent a thorough assessment of its biometry and its Doppler indices. Concomitant examination of the fetal abdominal aorta diameter, aortic isthmus and aortic intima media thickness was included.

Results: AO D was significantly lower, while UA PI was significantly greater in SGA fetuses. The unadjusted regression coefficient of AO D on EFW centile was 1.33 while after adjusting for gestational age, UA PI and UtA PI it continued to be significantly associated with EFW centile (β = 1.49). The unadjusted regression coefficient of UA PI on EFW centile was -0.55 and after adjusting for gestational age and Ut A PI, it remained statistically significant and was demonstrated to be -0.60. Greater AO D was significantly associated with lower probability of EFW <10th centile (OR = 0.87) and it remained significant after adjusting for gestational age and UtA PI (OR = 0.82).

Conclusions: The study demonstrated that AO D was significantly lower while UA-PI appeared significantly increased in SGA fetuses, remaining as such even after the appropriate adjustment. However, the study did not manage to show alterations in the rest of the fetal abdominal aorta measurements.

Keywords: ‘Aorta diameter’; ‘Aorta intima thickness’; ‘Aortic isthmus’; ‘FGR’,’ SGA’; ‘Fetal aorta’; ‘Growth restriction’; ‘aIMT’.