Fetal magnetocardiography demonstrated significant lengthening of the fetal QRS-complex (p=0.0001), P-wave (p=0.05), and QT-interval (p=0.009) between the 20th and 42nd gestational week.
Observational (n=163)
Fetal magnetocardiography can successfully track the physiologic lengthening of fetal cardiac time intervals (P-wave, QRS, QT) from the 19th week of gestation onwards.
OBJECTIVES: To analyse the physiologic development of fetal cardiac time intervals throughout gestation using fetal magnetocardiography (FMCG). METHODS: FMCG data of 163 uncomplicated pregnancies (19th and 42nd gestational week) were analysed. Mean value, standard deviation, minimum and maximum of the duration of the P-wave, the QRS-complex, the PR and the QT-interval were plotted against gestational age. RESULTS: QRS-complex, P wave and QT-interval showed a significant lengthening between the 20th and 42nd gestational week. The mean of the QRS complex raised from 36+/-4.7 ms (week 21-24) up to 48+/-5.2 ms (> or =37th week), (p=0.0001). The mean of the P-wave was between 47+/-5.9 ms (week 21-24) and 53+/-9.5 ms (> or =37th week), (p=0.05) and the mean of the QT-interval was 198+/-18 ms (week 21-24) and increased up to 244+/-23.9 ms (> or =37th week), (p=0.009). The PR-interval did not show a correlation with gestational age. CONCLUSION: FMCG provides sufficient information about all parts of the fetal cardiac conduction system from the 19th gestational week on. It offers the possibility to analyse the shape and the duration of the PQRST-complex.
Kähler et al. (Fri,) conducted a observational in Uncomplicated pregnancies (n=163). Fetal magnetocardiography was evaluated on Duration of the P-wave, QRS-complex, PR and QT-interval. Fetal magnetocardiography demonstrated significant lengthening of the fetal QRS-complex (p=0.0001), P-wave (p=0.05), and QT-interval (p=0.009) between the 20th and 42nd gestational week.