Open AccessPericardial effusion in normal pregnant women
Author(s) -
Abduuabbar Hassan S.O.,
Marzouki Khalid M.H.,
Zawawi Tarif H.,
Khan Ahmed S.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
acta obstetricia et gynecologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.401
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1600-0412
pISSN - 0001-6349
DOI - 10.3109/00016349109007874
Subject(s) - medicine , pericardial effusion , pregnancy , effusion , pericardium , first trimester , obstetrics , cardiology , gestation , surgery , genetics , biology
Fifty‐two normally pregnant women underwent echocardiography to examine their pericardium in the first, second and third trimester. Pericardial effusion was noted in 15.3% of the women ( n =8) in the first trimester, 19.2% ( n =10) in the second trimester and 44.2% ( n =23) in the third trimester of pregnancy. Pericardial effusion during pregnancy was found to be completely resolved in all patients who underwent an echocardiogram 6 weeks post delivery ( n =U). There was no statistically significant difference in age, hemoglobin, total protein, albumin/globulin ratio or mean blood pressure during pregnancy between those who developed pericardial effusion and those who did not. The frequency of occurrence of pericardial effusion in primigravidas at 69.2% (9/13) was higher than that in multigravidas, with a ratio of 35.9% (14/39), the difference being statistically significant ( p < 0.025). The frequency of occurrence of pericardial effusion in patients who gained more than 12 kg during pregnancy at 67.7% (11/17) was higher than in patients who gained less than 12 kg, with a ratio of 34.3% (12/35), the difference being statistically significant ( p < 0.025).