Preconception maternal retinal arteriolar narrowing and fetal growth throughout pregnancy: A prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association between preconception maternal retinal arteriolar calibre and fetal growth.

DESIGN, SETTING AND POPULATION: A hospital-based, prospective preconception cohort including 369 women with a singleton live birth.

METHODS

We collected detailed information on sociodemographic status, pregnancy history and lifestyle, and performed retinal imaging at the preconception visit.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We retrieved medical records documenting fetal growth biometrics (e.g., abdominal circumference [AC], head circumference [HC], femur length [FL]) at 11-13, 18-21, 24-28, and 32-34 weeks throughout pregnancy. We then computed the z scores for all fetal growth biometrics from 14 weeks of gestation where data were available, referencing the INTERGROWTH-21st fetal growth chart. We used a linear mixed model to estimate the association between maternal preconception retinal arteriolar calibre and fetal growth biometrics z scores throughout pregnancy, with random intercept accounting for repeated measures within individuals. We then performed a multivariable linear regression of maternal preconception retinal arteriolar calibre and z score changes for all fetal growth biometrics between 24-28 weeks and 32-34 weeks of gestation, after full adjustment.

RESULTS

Maternal preconception generalised retinal arteriolar narrowing was consistently associated with a reduction in fetal AC z scores (-0.34; 95% CI -0.66 to -0.03) throughout pregnancy. In addition, women with preconception generalised retinal arteriolar narrowing tended to have significantly reduced z score changes in AC (-0.41; 95% CI -0.90 to -0.001) and fetal FL (-0.55; 95% CI -1.00 to -0.10) between 24-28 weeks and 32-34 weeks of gestation, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that women with narrower preconception retinal arterioles had smaller fetuses, evidenced by reductions in AC and FL z score throughout pregnancy.