In 948 high-risk pregnancies, cardiac output was already lower at 28 weeks in those who later developed growth restriction or pre-eclampsia

What the research found

Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology published a prospective cohort on 8 November 2026. Judith Martinez-Egea, Eva Meler, and colleagues at BCNatal in Barcelona followed singleton pregnancies at high risk of fetal growth restriction. People were seen between 27 weeks 0 days and 28 weeks 6 days, and only if growth restriction or pre-eclampsia was not already present. 948 pregnancies were analyzed. 129 later developed growth restriction, pre-eclampsia, or both (59 with growth restriction, with or without pre-eclampsia, and 70 with pre-eclampsia alone). 819 stayed uncomplicated. The abstract used here does not give maternal age. Median mean arterial pressure was 82.0 mm Hg with later growth restriction, 84.8 with later isolated pre-eclampsia, and 79.7 in the uncomplicated group. Median heart rate was 82.5 beats per minute with later isolated pre-eclampsia versus 77.0 with later growth restriction (P = 0.03). In a model adjusted for body mass index, later growth restriction and later pre-eclampsia were each tied to lower cardiac output and higher SVR before either condition appeared. SVR is the calculated opposition to blood flow. Median stroke volume was 59.7 mL and 61.1 mL versus 64.2 mL. Median SVR was 1393 and 1339 versus 1252 dynes times seconds per cm5. The isolated pre-eclampsia group had slightly thicker left-ventricular walls. The growth-restriction group had a smaller left-ventricular end-diastolic diameter, 4.27 cm versus 4.48 cm. These are measurements before the diagnosis. They are not a screening rule. DOI 10.1002/uog.70367. Not medical advice.

Evidence level: Human study. A study in people, but an association isn't proof of cause.

Read the original at Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology