Electrocardiographic findings in pregnant women in Angola

Studies on the electrocardiogram findings in African pregnant women are limited. There is no information available in the literature on the electrocardiographic parameters of pregnant Angolan women.

The aim of this study was to describe electrocardiographic findings in women with normal pregnancies in Bengo Province, Angola.

This is a community-based study with a cross-sectional design conducted between September 2013 and March 2014 in Bengo. The study involved 114 black pregnant women, compared with a paired control group comprising of 120 black non-pregnant women, aged 15 to 42 years. A 12-lead electrocardiogram and a rhythm strip were recorded for all participants.

In this study, the mean age was 26.2 ± 7.3 years. Comparing pregnant women vs. non-pregnant, we found the following mean values: Heart rate (83 bpm vs. 74 bpm, p < .001), PR interval (146 ms vs. 151 ms, p = .034), QT interval (360 ms vs. 378 ms, p < .001), QTIc Fridericia (398 ms vs. 403, p = .017), QTIc Framingham (399 ms vs. 404 ms, p = .013) and T-wave axis (34⁰ vs. 41⁰ , p = .001).The main electrocardiographic changes found were: Sinus tachycardia (4.4% vs. 2.5%), T-wave inversion (14.9% vs. 1.7%), Minor ST segment depression (4.5% vs. 0%) and left ventricular hypertrophy (11.4% vs. 11.7%, p = .726).

Pregnant Angolan women compared with controls, had several significantly higher values for heart rate, and significantly lower values of systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure, PR interval, QT interval, QTc interval by Fridericia and Framingham and T-wave axis. Sinus tachycardia, T-wave inversion, and left ventricular hypertrophy, were the main electrocardiographic changes found.