Transient abnormal fetal cardiac flow patterns at 13 to 17 gestational weeks

Abstract

Objective: To report the outcome of transient abnormal cardiac flow patterns (ABCFP) at 13 to 17 weeks' gestation.

Methods and results: Observational single operator study of transvaginal sonography scans of 13,183 fetuses. Of the 22 fetuses with ABCFP (1:600) high pulmonary valvular velocity was detected in 11 (8 of them transient), an abnormal blood flow in the coronary region in 6, mitral regurgitation in 3, and high aortic valvular velocity in 2 cases. In over 90%, these findings were transient. At birth, there were two cases of mild pulmonary stenosis, one meconium ileus, and two cases of asymptomatic bicuspid aortic valve without stenosis. All the remaining neonates were healthy.

Conclusions: The transient sonographic findings at 13 to 17 weeks' gestation of mitral regurgitation, pulmonary or aortic high valvular flow, and coronary sinus flow have a good prognosis, and in most cases are not associated with persistent cardiac anomalies. The etiology, incidence, and the prognosis of fetuses with transient ABCFP at 13 to 17 weeks' gestation are different from what is observed when the same occurs later in gestation.