What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Study design: Observational. Population: Cardiac physiological adaptations during pregnancy (n=412). Intervention: Standardized transthoracic echocardiography vs. None. Primary outcome: Left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes, stroke volume, and cardiac output (p=<0.001).

What question did this study set out to answer?

This investigation aims to explore the cardiac physiological adaptations during Chinese pregnancies using echocardiography.

January 10, 2026Scientific Reports0 citationsOpen Access

Echocardiographic investigation of maternal cardiac physiological adaptations in Chinese pregnancies

Q: What are the key findings of this study?

Pregnancy in Chinese women induces significant hemodynamic adaptations, including increased left ventricular volume and cardiac output.

Q: What question did this study set out to answer?

This investigation aims to explore the cardiac physiological adaptations during Chinese pregnancies using echocardiography.

ZCZhi-Hong ChenJiangxi Maternal and Child Health Hospital WCWei-Hsiu Chiu SCShu-Shan ChaoJiangxi Maternal and Child Health Hospital

Key Result

Pregnancy in Chinese women induces significant hemodynamic adaptations, including increased left ventricular volume and cardiac output.

Key Points

This investigation aims to explore the cardiac physiological adaptations during Chinese pregnancies using echocardiography.
Conducted echocardiographic assessments of maternal cardiac function
Analyzed data from a cohort of pregnant women in China
Evaluated various cardiac parameters and physiological changes
Identified significant changes in maternal cardiac output
Showed alterations in stroke volume and heart rate during pregnancy
Demonstrated the impact of gestational stage on cardiac adaptations

Study Design

Type

Observational (n=412)

Multicenter

Structured PICO

Population

412 healthy Chinese pregnant women with singleton gestations (n=19 in first trimester, n=186 in second trimester, n=209 in third trimester), median age 29-30 years. Inclusion criteria: singleton pregnancies with no known maternal comorbidities or fetal abnormalities. Exclusion criteria: history of chromosomal abnormalities, major fetal structural anomalies, or maternal medical complications.

Intervention

Standardized comprehensive transthoracic echocardiography across the first, second, and third trimesters to assess physiological adaptations.

Outcome

Trimester-specific echocardiographic changes in maternal cardiac morphology, systolic and diastolic function, and great artery hemodynamics.surrogate

Normal pregnancy in Chinese women is characterized by physiologic eccentric ventricular remodeling, augmented cardiac output, and adaptive diastolic and vascular responses across trimesters.

Main Result

Absolute Event Rate: 100.44% vs 86.96%

p-value: p=<0.001

Limitations

Single-center study
Limited to healthy pregnancies without comorbidities
Lack of long-term outcomes assessment

Abstract

To comprehensively characterize trimester-specific echocardiographic changes in maternal cardiac morphology and function during normal pregnancy in healthy Chinese women, and to establish population-specific reference values for physiological cardiac adaptation. In this prospective observational study, 412 healthy pregnant women with singleton gestations underwent standardized transthoracic echocardiography at Yichun Maternal 4.77 ± 1.60 → 5.91 ± 1.47 L/min, p < 0.001), while ejection fraction remained within normal limits. Diastolic indices showed load-dependent modulation: E/A and e′/a′ ratios decreased and E/e′ increased modestly (p < 0.05), suggesting adaptive relaxation. Great artery velocities and pressure gradients exhibited mild, balanced increases consistent with vascular compliance. Pregnancy in Chinese women induces physiologic eccentric ventricular remodeling, enhanced systolic performance, and adaptive diastolic and vascular changes that sustain maternal–fetal circulation. The trimester-specific reference data established provide crucial ethnicity-specific baselines for accurate echocardiographic assessment and early identification of cardiovascular maladaptation.

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