[Left ventricular ejection time (LVET) in the course of pregnancy]

In 101 normotensive healthy pregnant women, the left ventricular ejection time (LVET) was estimated. The examinations were performed in intervals of 14 days and 6 weeks after child-birth in left-side and in upright position. The LVET-values are closely frequency-related. Therefore the LVET-values were corrected with regression equations ascertained in 129 healthy non-pregnant women. The curve of the uncorrected LVET has a continuous shift downwards till to the end of pregnancy. However, after correction with the frequency the curve increases in the course of pregnancy till to the time of the 26th-30th week of pregnancy. After this time there is diminishing tendency. In orthostasis in upright position the curves have a similar shift but on a lower level. In the course of pregnancy the heart-frequency increases till to the 31st-35th week. After that it decreases slightly. It has to be assessed that the increase of the frequency-corrected LVET is related to the increasing loading with intravascular volume. On the other hand this increase can be the expression of the improved cardiac performance showing the adaptation to the increase charge of the cardiovascular system. The LVET is to be seen as a indirect destination value of the hearts contractility.