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Updated: Aug 16, 2026
Fetal Echocardiography and Pulsed-wave Doppler Ultrasound in a Rabbit Model of Intrauterine Growth Restriction
Published on: June 29, 2013
[Assessment of cardiac function in fetuses with intrauterine growth retardation using the Tei Index]
Katarzyna Niewiadomska-Jarosik1, Elzbieta Lipecka-Kidawska, Urszula Kowalska-Koprek
1Klinika Kardiologii Dzieciecej Katedry Pediatrii, Uniwersytet Medyczny, ul. Sporna 36/50, 91-738 Łódź, Poland.
Insights
Foetuses with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) exhibit impaired cardiac function, as indicated by a significantly higher Tei Index. This cardiac evaluation tool may be valuable for assessing fetal well-being in IUGR cases.
Area of Science:
- Fetal Cardiology
- Perinatology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) is associated with adverse perinatal outcomes.
- Cardiac dysfunction can occur in foetuses experiencing IUGR.
- Early detection of cardiac abnormalities is crucial for managing IUGR.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate cardiac function in foetuses with IUGR.
- To assess the utility of the Tei Index in identifying cardiac abnormalities in IUGR.
- To compare cardiac function between foetuses with IUGR and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Prenatal echocardiography in 64 foetuses with IUGR and 30 controls.
- Measurement of flow velocity waveforms of mitral, tricuspid, aortic, and pulmonic valves.
- Calculation of the Tei Index for left and right ventricles at different gestational ages.
Main Results:
- Foetuses with IUGR showed a significantly higher Tei Index for both left and right ventricles compared to controls.
- The Tei Index in IUGR foetuses was consistently elevated across assessed gestational ages (25-37 weeks).
- The Tei Index demonstrated a gradual decrease with advancing gestational age and was independent of heart rate.
Conclusions:
- Foetuses with IUGR exhibit abnormal cardiac function, particularly in later gestation.
- The Tei Index is a sensitive and applicable tool for evaluating cardiac function in foetuses with IUGR.
- Findings suggest the Tei Index can aid in the clinical assessment of IUGR-related cardiac compromise.
Unlabelled:
The aim of the study was to evaluate cardiac function in foetuses with IUGR, using the Tei Index.
Material And Methods:
Prenatal echocardiographic examination was performed in 64 foetuses with intrauterine growth retardation between 25-27, 30-32, and 34-37 weeks of gestation. The control group included 30 healthy foetuses. Flow velocity waveforms of mitral and tricuspid valve and flow velocity waveforms of the aortic and pulmonic valves were obtained. The Tei Index for left and right ventricle was calculated. The heart rate was measured in all foetuses.
Results:
The Tei Index for left ventricle in foetuses with intrauterine growth retardation was significantly higher than in healthy foetuses (25-27 hbd - 0.6 vs. 0.58; p<0.05: 30-32 hbd -0.59 vs. 0.52; p<0.05: 34-36 hbd - 0.58 vs. 0.48; p<0.001). The Tei Index for right ventricle was also significantly higher in foetuses with intrauterine growth retardation than in the control group. The Tei Index decreased gradually with advancing gestational age and is independent of heart rate.
Conclusions:
l. Foetuses with intrauterine growth retardation have abnormal cardiac function in later part of gestation. 2. The Tei Index may be applied to evaluate cardiac function in foetuses.
