Correlation between developmental stages of the human heart and gestational ages

OBJECTIVE: In this study we aimed to investigate the normal developmental pattern of the human fetal heart in second and third trimester, and to evaluate the correlation of the values with the gestational age (GA).

METHODS: Seventy spontaneously aborted human fetuses with no external malformations were investigated and 11 parameters from each were assessed. The relationship of these parameters with the GA was evaluated by linear regression and correlation analyses using statistical methods. In addition, the values were compared to the gender and sides of the heart using Student t-test. This study was performed at the Department of Anatomy, Meram Medical Faculty, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey, during the period from 2000 to 2004.

RESULTS: There was a statistically significant linear relationship between the heart wall thicknesses, the development of the valves of the heart and GA. The mean values of the right side of the heart were found to be higher than those of the left side, and differences were statistically significant (p<0.05). Although, most of the parameters were found to be higher in females, only 2 of them were statistically significant. All parameters of the cardiac valves measured were significantly higher in the second trimester. There was no difference regarding the correlation ratio of the trimesters between the pulmonary valve diameter and GA. The measurement of the cardiac valves did not show any differences regarding the gender.

CONCLUSION: This study presents the normal values of the development of the fetal heart in second and third trimester that may provide useful background information for clinical approaches.