Authors : Abaleke IO; Nwankwo CI; Amah Anthony Okechukwu

Volume/Issue : Volume 9 - 2024, Issue 12 - December

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/3e64z4m3

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/4et38yrt

DOI : https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14737950

Abstract : The heart is the first organ to function in the embryo and blood begins to flow in early days of pregnancy. The heart is a large organ relative to body size. Examinations of fetal heart are a very essential factor in assessing fetal viability. Ultrasonographic evaluation of pregnant sheep can enable the diagnosis of fetal growth problems and develop prenatal support accountable for lowering morbidity and perinatal death. The aim of this study is to carryout ultrasound measurements of fetal heart in sheep between 75 and 80 days, 85 and 95 days, and between 120 and 130 days of gestation. Ultrasound examination was done transabdominally using an ultrasound scanner (EDAN U500) equipped with a sector probe with a frequency of up to 5 MHz (Model, C352UB). Before the examination, the sheep were placed in a standing position. The inguinal and caudal areas were shaved and the skin was cleaned with soap and water. A sufficient amount of transmission gel was applied prior to transabdominal examination. The measurements were made using B-Mode. The length and width of the heart, the height of the ventricles and atria were twice measured for each fetus. The obtained results were further submitted for a statistical analysis. The resulting data are presented as the mean ± SD, marked on the tabulated. The differences were analysed by analysis of variance and a posthoc test. Duncan multiple range test was used to verify the significance of differences at P<0.01 and P<0.05. The correlations between the studied parameters were calculated with the Pearson rank correlation coefficient (r; correlation coefficient). The result of this study showed that between days 75 and 80 of pregnancy, the fetal heart rate was significantly smaller than in the later stages of pregnancy at p<0.01. There was significant difference in the parameters of the ventricles and the artria measurement was done between 85th and 95th day of pregnancy, the size of artria was significantly smaller in the period between day 120 and 130 at p<0.01. It was also observed that most of the parameters measured were highly significantly and positively correlated with the day of pregnancy at p>0.01. The heart size parameters were postitively correlated with the size of both ventricles and right artrium at correlation coefficient (r) at p>0.01. In concusion, this study suggests that ultrasound measurements of the heart could be used to determine gestational days and study normal and abnormal cardiac growth in Sheep.

Keywords : Heart; Ultrasound Examination; Pregnancy; Cardiac Growth; Gestational Age.

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