Introduction
Echocardiography is the most widely used diagnostic tool for detecting
the cardiac functional changes[1]. New
updates for calculating the cardiac ventricular functions are still
continuing [2]. Systolic and diastolic
functions of the heart can be affected by many variables
[3, 4].
Especially systemic chronic diseases (diabetes mellitus, hypertension,
hyperlipidemia…) deteriorate these functions. However, in healthy
population, some situations as pregnancy may change cardiovascular
mechanism.
Pregnancy is a dynamic process that affects cardiovascular system.
During pregnancy maternal cardiac output, preload and maternal blood
volume increase and systemic vascular resistance decreases
[5]. These changes are necessary for
the continuation of pregnancy and the health of the fetus. Most of the
changes occur during pregnancy however, these changes return to normal
after pregnancy [6].
Recent studies showed that increased parity may cause irreversible
changes in cardiovascular system [7,
8]. Left ventricular diastolic functions
deteriorate during pregnancy and this is associated with increased
cardiovascular
mortality
[9-11]. Diastolic function and other
cardiovascular changes tend to return to normal however as the parity
increases, diastolic parameters are affected and these reversible
changes may become
permanent
[6,
12].
In this study, we aimed to evaluate echocardiographic changes on women,
especially grand multiparous (up to 9 parities) and great grand
multiparous (more than 10 parities) women after all their pregnancies
finished.