Abstract
Objective This study aimed to identify cardiovascular differences between pregnant people with
and without obesity for trimester-specific changes in hemodynamic parameters using
noninvasive cardiac output monitoring (NICOM).
Study Design This study is a pilot prospective comparative cohort between pregnant people with
and without obesity. Hemodynamic assessment was performed with NICOM (12–14, 21–23,
and 34–36 weeks) during pregnancy.
Results In first trimester, pregnant people with obesity had higher blood pressure, stroke
volume (SV), total peripheral resistance index (TPRI), and cardiac output (CO). Pregnant
people with obesity continued to have higher SV and cardiac index (second and third
trimesters). During the first trimester, body mass index (BMI) positively correlated
with SV, TPRI, and CO. Fat mass showed a strong correlation with TPRI. BMI positively
correlated with CO during the second trimester and fat mass was positively associated
with CO. During the third trimester, TPR negatively correlated with BMI and fat mass.
Conclusion Fat mass gain in the period between the first and second trimesters in addition to
the hemodynamic changes due to obesity and pregnancy contribute to some degree of
left ventricular diastolic dysfunction which was manifested by lower SVs. Future work
should investigate the possible causative role of obesity in the cardiovascular changes
identified in people with obesity.
Keywords
pregnancy - noninvasive cardiac output monitoring - obesity - hemodynamic - pilot
study
