Biology

Gestation

Prenatal diagnosis

Fetus

Cardiology

Fetal echocardiography

Genetics

Anatomy

Fetal heart

Gestational age

Internal medicine

Head circumference

Medicine

Left Ventricles

Ventricle

Pregnancy

Biparietal diameter

American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology

M-mode echocardiographic examination of the right and left ventricles was performed on 82 normal fetuses between 18 and 41 weeks of gestation. The diameter of the right and left ventricles correlated with the biparietal diameter. The right/left ratio of the ventricular diameters remained constant (1:1) throughout gestation. Fractional shortening and mean circumferential shortening of both ventricles were independent of gestational age. The data presented in this paper will allow the clinician to evaluate abnormal fetal conditions that might affect cardiovascular structure and/or function.