The aim of this study was to investigate cardiac functional status in pregnancy using a comprehensive approach taking into account the simultaneous changes in loading and geometry, as well as maternal age and anthropometric indices. This was a prospective cross-sectional study of 559 nulliparous pregnant women assessed at 4 time points during pregnancy and at 1 year postpartum. All women underwent conventional echocardiography and tissue Doppler velocities and strain rate analysis at multiple

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... rdiac sites. Mean arterial pressure and total vascular resistance index significantly decreased (both P<0.001) during the first 2 trimesters of pregnancy and increased thereafter. Stroke volume index and cardiac index showed the opposite trend compared with mean arterial pressure and total vascular resistance index (both P<0.05). Myocardial and ventricular function were significantly enhanced in the first 2 trimesters but progressively declined thereafter. By the end of pregnancy, significant chamber diastolic dysfunction and impaired myocardial relaxation was evident in 17.9% and 28.4% of women, respectively, whereas myocardial contractility was preserved. There was full recovery of cardiac function at 1 year postpartum. Cardiovascular changes during pregnancy are thought to represent a physiological adaptation to volume overload. The findings of a drop in stroke volume index, impaired myocardial relaxation with diastolic dysfunction, and a tendency toward eccentric remodeling in a significant proportion of cases at term are suggestive of cardiovascular maladaptation to the volume-overloaded state in some apparently normal pregnancies. These unexpected cardiovascular findings have important implications for the management of both normal and pathological pregnancy states. (Hypertension. 2016;67:754-762. changes in maternal loading conditions, cardiac geometry, as well as age and anthropometric indices. by guest on July 23, 2018 http://hyper.ahajournals.org/ Downloaded from • Left ventricular mass increased by 35% and both stroke volume index and cardiac index decreased significantly near term. • Chamber diastolic dysfunction and impaired myocardial relaxation was seen in 17.9% and 28.4% of term pregnancies, respectively. What Is Relevant? • Diastolic dysfunction and myocardial impairment is evident in some healthy-term pregnancies. • These cardiac findings are strikingly similar to those previously observed in preeclampsia. Summary The protracted increase in volume load may result in subtle diastolic dysfunction by the end of pregnancy.