HANDLE: HEMODYNAMIC Assessment iN pregnancy anD neonataL Echocardiography assessment. Identifies Abnormal Hemodynamic Profiles in Pregnancy as a Predictor of Adverse Obstetric Outcome and Characterisation of Neonatal Myocardial Performance in Infants.

Lead Researcher:

Prof Fergal Malone

Award Date:

1 January 2013

Host Institution:

Friends of the Rotunda

Scheme:

Medical Research Charities Group Co-Fund Award

Summary:

Pre-eclampsia (PET) is a complication occurring in 5-7% of pregnancies involving increased blood pressure in the mother. It is associated with various complications for the woman including liver and kidney disease, clotting issues and seizures. In addition, fetuses are at risk of developing restriction of growth and death in the womb. PET frequently necessitates preterm delivery of the baby with its attendant risks and complications. Intra-uterine growth restriction (IUGR) refers to suboptimal growth of the fetus in the womb. It can occur with or without coexistent blood pressure problems in the mother. There is increasing evidence that suggests that the hearts of the infants born to mothers with PET and IUGR do not function as well as those born following a healthy pregnancy.
To date the ability to predict which mothers develop PET and IUGR early in the pregnancy is poor. There are some data suggesting that measuring the degree of resistance of the mother's blood vessels in addition to the pump function of the heart early on in the pregnancy using non-invasive means can predict later evolution of PET and IUGR. The ability to identify those disease states early in the pregnancy may pave the way for earlier and more effective management of those conditions. In addition, a more comprehensive assessment of the heart function of the babies born to those mothers using ultrasound will better characterise how the heart works and help in the management of these infants. In this study, we aim to study resistance in the vessels and the pump function of mothers presenting early in pregnancy and see if we can predict later evolution of PET and IUGR. We also want to compare the difference in the resistance and pump function between normal pregnancies and those that develop IUGR and PET. We also want to measure the heart function of the babies born to the mothers enrolled and look at differences in heart function.