Evaluating fetal heart morphology in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy using the fetal heart quantitative technique

Abstract

Background: This study sought to explore the clinical application value of fetal heart quantification (HQ) technology in the evaluation of fetal heart morphology in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP). Methods: Fetal HQ software was used to quantitatively analyze the 4-chamber global sphericity index (GSI) and 24-segment sphericity index (SI) and Z scores of 53 normal fetal hearts (the normal group) and 26 fetal hearts with gestational hypertension (the case group). The normal Z value range was set at −2 to 2. Results: There was a statistically significant difference between the 1–16 and 20–24 segments of the left and right ventricles in the normal group (P<0.05), but there was no statistically significant difference between the 17–19 segments (P>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the fetal GSI between the 2 groups (P>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the SI of the 24 segments of the fetal left ventricle between the 2 groups (P>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the SI between the 1–20 segments of the right ventricle between the 2 groups (P>0.05), but there was a statistically significant difference in the SI between the 21–24 segments (P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the incorrect ratio of the Z value of the GSI between the 2 groups (P>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the abnormal rate of the Z value of the SI in each segment of the fetal left ventricle between the 2 groups (P>0.05). There was a significant difference in the abnormal rate of the Z value of the SI in each segment of the fetal right ventricle between the 2 groups (P<0.05). Conclusions: Fetal HQ technology can be used in the quantitative analysis of cardiac morphology in gestational hypertension, and provides a new method for fetal cardiac morphology analysis.