Fetal Doppler Ecocardiography Analysis of Pregnant Patients with Gesta- tional Diabetes Mellitus* Análisis Doppler Ecocardiográfica Fetal de Gestantes Portadoras de Diabetes Melito Gestional*

SUMMARY Objective: To evaluate data from fetal Doppler echocardiography performed in pregnant patients with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Methods: This is a prospective, descriptive study carried out from April 2007 to March 2008. Sixty-eight fetuses with gestational age ranging from 22 to 37 weeks, from pregnant patients presenting GDM were analyzed. Variables analyzed were maternal GDM-related epidemiological characteristics and settings from fetal Doppler echocardiography. Results: Prevalence rate of myocardial hypertrophy was 27.9%. Fetuses with myocardial hypertrophy (MCH) presented lower gestational age (29.3 vs. 32.0 weeks p<0.05) and smaller abdominal circumference (5.3% vs. 40.8% p<0.05) upon examination. Other epidemiological characteristics presented no difference. Regarding functional alterations, normal shortening fraction measurements were found in all fetuses. Diastolic dysfunction was found in three fetuses (15.8%) with MCH (p< 0,05) and two (4.15%) without MCH. The myocardial performance index both from the right ventricle and from the left ventricle showed higher values in the third trimester of gestation, in comparison with a historic trend. No positive correlation was found between MCH and A wave, E wave from mitral transvalve volume flow or myocardial performance index from the right or from the left ventricle. Conclusion: MCH was found in 27.9% of fetuses, of which 21% presented diastolic dysfunction. The shortening fraction measurement was normal in all fetuses analyzed. No correlation between MCH and the other parameters analyzed was found.