J Clin Ultrasound. 2022 May 7. doi: 10.1002/jcu.23220. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To determine the long-term fetal cardiac effects of the SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant women recovered from moderate COVID-19 with fetal echocardiography (ECHO).
METHODS: Forty-five pregnant women that recovered from moderate COVID-19 (CRG) 4 weeks after the infection confirmation, were compared with 45 gestational and maternal age-matched control groups (CG) in terms of demographic features fetal cardiac morphological (sphericity index, cardiothoracic ratio), and functional (myocardial performance index, mitral E/A, tricuspid E/A, mitral and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion) parameters.
RESULTS: There was no difference in demographic features between the groups. Fetal cardiac morphologic parameters were found to be similar between the two groups. When the fetal cardiac functional assessment of the two groups was compared, only mitral E/A ratio results were found to be statistically significantly lower in the CRG than in the control group (p = 0.030).
CONCLUSION: The fetal heart does not seem to be negatively affected by COVID-19 after recovery from moderate infection. These results about the fetal effect of SARS-CoV-2 may improve our limited knowledge of the utility of fetal ECHO in pregnant women who recovered from COVID-19.
PMID:35524502 | DOI:10.1002/jcu.23220
