Objective To study the impact of well-controlled, uncomplicated maternal di
abetes on fetal cardiac development and performance.
Methods The following variables were studied in 45 fetuses of type I diabet
ic women by means of mid- and late-trimester echocardiography: interventric
ular septal thickness; aortic and pulmonary value diameters; peak and time-
to-peak flow velocity of the great arteries; the ratio between peak velocit
ies during early (E) and late (A) ventricular filling at the level of the a
trioventricular valves; ventricular fractional shortenings; and output. The
findings were compared to age-matched control groups of normal fetuses.
Results A significant augmentation of interventricular septal thickness was
demonstrated for mid-trimester fetuses of diabetic women, which progressed
further towards the end of pregnancy. However, the indices of diastolic an
d systolic function remained comparable between the gestational age-matched
groups.
Conclusion Progressive myocardial thickening occurs commonly in mid- and la
te-trimester fetuses of uncomplicated and well-controlled diabetic pregnanc
ies. The observed degree of hypertrophy is generally mild and does not affe
ct age-related changes in fetal cardiac function.