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Updated: Feb 19, 2026
Fetal Echocardiography and Pulsed-wave Doppler Ultrasound in a Rabbit Model of Intrauterine Growth Restriction
Published on: June 29, 2013
Effects of foetal growth restriction and preterm birth on cardiac morphology and function during infancy
Emily Cohen1,2, Christie Whatley3, Flora Y Wong1,4
1The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research and Department of Paediatrics, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.
Insights
Foetal growth restriction (FGR) and prematurity impact infant heart development, causing subtle cardiac shape changes and diastolic dysfunction in preterm infants. These effects were most apparent in early infancy.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal cardiology
- Fetal development
- Pediatric cardiac imaging
Background:
- Fetal growth restriction (FGR) and prematurity are significant concerns in neonatal care.
- Understanding their long-term impact on cardiac development is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of FGR and prematurity on infant cardiac morphology and function.
- To test the hypothesis that both FGR and prematurity alter cardiac development.
Main Methods:
- Echocardiography and Tissue Doppler Imaging were used to assess cardiac morphology and function.
- 24 preterm FGR, 23 preterm AGA, and 19 term AGA infants were studied.
- Infants were evaluated at postnatal day 1, and at 1 and 6 months post-term.
Main Results:
- Preterm FGR infants showed increased cardiac sphericity and wall thickness compared to AGA peers.
- Diastolic function, indicated by E/e' ratio, was impaired in preterm infants (both FGR and AGA) at 1 month.
- No significant group differences in cardiac parameters were observed at 6 months.
Conclusions:
- Fetal growth restriction is linked to subtle changes in cardiac morphology.
- Both prematurity and FGR are associated with subclinical alterations in diastolic function during infancy.
Aim:
To investigate the effects of foetal growth restriction (FGR) and prematurity on cardiac morphology and function in infancy. We hypothesised that FGR and prematurity would both alter cardiac development.
Methods:
Cardiac morphology and function were evaluated in 24 preterm FGR infants (p-FGR) and 23 preterm and 19 term appropriately grown for gestational age infants (p-AGA and t-AGA, respectively) by conventional echocardiography and Tissue Doppler Imaging. p-FGR and p-AGA infants were studied on postnatal day 1 and all groups were studied at one-and six-months post-term age.
Results:
p-FGR infants demonstrated increased cardiac sphericity compared to AGA peers on postnatal day 1 (p = 0.004) and at one-month post-term age (p = 0.004). Posterior and relative wall thickness increased overtime in the p-FGR group only (p < 0.05). Systolic function was not different between groups. E/e' ratio was higher in both preterm groups compared to the term group at one-month post-term age (p = 0.01). No statistically significant group differences were found at six-months post-term age.
Conclusion:
Foetal growth restriction was associated with subtle cardiac morphological changes, whereas both prematurity and FGR were associated with subclinical alterations in diastolic function.
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