Investigating the Association Between Demographic Characteristics of Pregnant Mothers and Fetal Intracardiac Echogenic Foci: A Retrospective Study

Soodeh  Hooshmandi; Amin  Janghorbani; Mehdi  Soofiabadi; Fatemeh  Rahaei

doi:10.18502/ssu.v33i11.21067

Soodeh Hooshmandi Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
Amin Janghorbani Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of New Sciences and Technologies, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran
Mehdi Soofiabadi Faculty of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
Fatemeh Rahaei Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ssu.v33i11.21067

Keywords: Echogenic intracardiac focus, Nuchal translucency measurement, Maternal demographic information.

Abstract

Introduction: Echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) is defined as a small, bright structure within the fetal heart exhibiting echogenicity equal to or greater than that of the surrounding bone. It is considered a second-trimester soft marker associated with aneuploidy in high-risk populations. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between nuchal translucency (NT) thickness and maternal demographic characteristics in fetuses presenting with echogenic intracardiac focus.

Methods: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, 100 clinical records of pregnant women whose fetuses had echogenic intracardiac focus confirmed by fetal echocardiography were reviewed. Maternal demographic characteristics, underlying maternal diseases, and NT measurements were recorded. Pearson correlation analysis was used to evaluate the associations between variables, and statistical analyses were performed using SPSS software version 16.

Results: Based on the findings, the mean ± standard deviation of maternal and paternal ages were 29.90 ± 6.449 years and 34.19 ± 7.056 years, respectively. The mean maternal weight was 75.81 ± 10.037 kg. Additionally, 18% of the pregnant women had diabetes and 6% had lupus. The mean NT measurement among the evaluated fetuses was 2.349 ± 0.584 mm. No statistically significant association was observed between parental age or maternal weight and NT values (P > 0.05).

Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrated that maternal demographic characteristics were not significantly associated with the risk of aneuploidy in fetuses with echogenic intracardiac focus. Therefore, echogenic intracardiac focus, as an isolated marker, may serve as a tool for identifying rather than excluding pregnancies at high risk for aneuploidy.