Cardiac function in fetuses of type I diabetic mothers

Article Abstract:

Infants born to diabetic women have a risk of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a heart disease in which there is excessive cellular growth. However, the development of this disorder during gestation has not been well described. To better understand the disorder, cardiac function was studied using echocardiography in the fetuses of 40 women with well-controlled diabetes. The thickness of the interventricular septa (walls between the ventricles, the lower heart chamber, which provides most pumping action) were significantly thicker than normal, but the increase was not related to maternal diabetic control. The outside walls of the ventricles were also thicker than normal. These increases were associated with decreases in ventricular filling during the diastolic (resting) phase of the heartbeat. No changes in systolic (contracting) phase activities, such as blood flow velocity, were found. The study indicates that in spite of good metabolic control, fetuses of diabetic mothers may develop hypertrophy of the heart tissue that can affect heart function. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Complications and side effects, Risk factors, Fetal distress

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Cardiac and venous blood flow in fetuses of insulin-dependent diabetic mothers: evidence of abnormal hemodynamics in early gestation

Article Abstract:

Fetuses of diabetic pregnant women may develop heart abnormalities as early as 12 weeks. Researchers used vaginal and abdominal ultrasound to detect fetal heart abnormalities on 27 diabetic women at 12, 16 and 20 weeks of gestation. The women were divided into two groups according to how well they controlled their blood sugar. Data were compared to 11 non-diabetic pregnant women. Ultrasound revealed that the fetuses of the diabetic women exhibited abnormalities in blood flow as early as 12 weeks. Heart abnormalities were even more evident in those women who had poor blood sugar control. The most likely explanation for these observations is that the fetal heart is not compliant enough to pump blood normally, possibly because the heart tissue is affected by metabolic abnormalities in the mother.

Health aspects

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Release of vasoactive agents during cordocentesis: differences between normally grown and growth-restricted fetuses

Article Abstract:

Normal fetuses and those with evidence of restricted growth appear to respond differently during blood sampling of the umbilical cord. Two blood samples of the umbilical cord were taken and substances released by blood vessels were measured in 30 normal fetuses and 25 growth-restricted fetuses. Levels of two substances that cause blood vessels to relax called endothelin-1 and 6-keto-prostaglandin F1a increased during the blood sampling among the normal fetuses. Only endothelin-1 levels increased among the growth-restricted fetuses particularly among those whose heart rates slowed following the procedure.

Measurement, Fetus, Physiological aspects, Fetal growth retardation, Vasodilators, Vasodilator agents, Cordocentesis

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