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Abnormal fetal aortic velocity waveform and intellectual function at 7 years of age
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Lund, Malmö General Hospital, Sweden.
Insights
Abnormal fetal aortic blood flow velocity waveforms in pregnancies predict lower intellectual ability in children. Hemodynamic evaluation during pregnancy can forecast postnatal cognitive development.
Area of Science:
- Fetal Medicine
- Neurodevelopmental Pediatrics
- Cardiovascular Physiology
Background:
- Fetal growth restriction is associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes.
- Fetal aortic blood flow velocity waveforms provide insights into fetal well-being.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between abnormal fetal aortic blood flow velocity waveforms and intellectual ability in children.
- To determine if hemodynamic evaluation predicts postnatal intellectual development.
Main Methods:
- Measurements of fetal aortic blood flow velocity and fetal growth in 178 pregnancies.
- Assessment of intellectual ability (IQ) at 6.5 years of age in 148 children.
- Logistic regression analysis to identify predictors of impaired intellectual outcome.
Main Results:
- Children born from pregnancies with abnormal fetal aortic velocity waveforms had significantly lower verbal and global IQ scores (p < 0.05).
- Abnormal fetal aortic velocity waveform was a significant predictor of impaired intellectual outcome, independently and combined with other factors.
Conclusions:
- Abnormal fetal aortic blood flow velocity waveforms are linked to impaired intellectual development in offspring.
- Hemodynamic evaluation of the fetus holds predictive value for postnatal intellectual development.
Abstract:
Measurements of fetal aortic blood flow velocity and fetal growth were performed in 178 pregnancies. In 87 cases, the estimated fetal weight was > 2 SD below the gestational age-related mean of the population. Three fetuses died in utero. In 148 children (84%) an assessment of overall intellectual ability was performed at 6.5 years of age. Verbal and global IQ was lower in the group with an abnormal fetal aortic blood flow velocity waveform (mean +/- SD 96.0 +/- 17.7 and 95.9 +/- 15.7, respectively; n = 41) compared to the group with a normal waveform (102.1 +/- 12.2 and 102.9 +/- 13.2, respectively; n = 105; p < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis revealed that abnormal fetal aortic velocity waveform, both independently and in combination with other factors, was a significant predictor of impaired intellectual outcome. The association found between abnormal fetal aortic velocity waveform and impaired intellectual outcome suggests that hemodynamic evaluation of the fetus has a predictive value regarding postnatal intellectual development.