Comparison of Cerebral Blood Circulation of Fetuses with Congenital Heart Disease with Healthy Fetuses

Abstract

The effect of congenital cardiac malformation on fetal cerebral circulation has not been well known. This study aimed to compare the cerebral blood circulation of fetuses with congenital heart disease (CHD) with healthy fetuses. This prospective cohort study included 37 pregnant women who presented to the gynecology and obstetrics department of department of Farabi Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Karadeniz Technical University for anomaly screening in the second trimester. The women were divided into two groups as those with fetuses having CHD and healthy fetuses. Middle cerebral artery (MCA), peak systolic velocity (PSV), pulsatility index (PI), resistivity index (RI), systole/diastole (S/D) ratio, and MCA transverse section diameter (mm) were recorded for each fetus. The most common CHDs were truncus arteriosus and hypoplastic left heart syndrome. The mean MCA PSV, resistivity index, and MDCA vessel diameter values were statistically significantly higher in the study group compared with fetuses without CHDs. The mean PI and systole/diastole ratio were statistically significantly lower in the study group than in the control group. This study reported that MCA PSV, RI, and vessel diameter were significantly higher and the S/D ratio and PI were significantly lower in fetuses with CHD compared to the healthy fetuses.