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Recording available 2/16-5/2
Recording available 2/16-5/2
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Poster Session 4

Category: Physiology/Endocrinology

Poster Session 4

(1095) Impact of Maternal Stature on Cardiac Diastolic Load in Twin Pregnancies: A Height-Stratified Echocardiographic Study

Thursday, February 12, 2026
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM  

    Submitting Author and Presenting Author(s)

  • GL

    Gisu Lee, MD, MA

    Assistant professor
    Keimyung University School of medicine
    Daegu, Taegu-jikhalsi, Republic of Korea

    • Coauthor(s)

  • JB

    Jin-Gon Bae, MD

    Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keimyung University, School of Medicine
    Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keimyung University, School of Medicine, Taegu-jikhalsi, Republic of Korea

  • YJ

    Yu Ra Jeon

    Keimyung University School of medicine
    Daegu, Taegu-jikhalsi, Republic of Korea

  • SP

    SiYoung Park

    Keimyung University School of medicine
    Daegu, Taegu-jikhalsi, Republic of Korea

  • SN

    Sung Hun Na

    Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kangwon National University, School of Medicine
    Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kangwon National University, School of Medicine, Kangwon-do, Republic of Korea

  • YK

    Young-Han Kim, MD, PhD

    Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yonsei University College of Medicine
    Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, Republic of Korea

  • Geum Joon Cho, MD, PhD (he/him/his)

    Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Korea University College of Medicine, Korea
    Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Korea University College of Medicine, Korea, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, Republic of Korea

  • HH

    Han-Sung Hwang

    Konkuk University School of Medicine
    Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, Republic of Korea

  • SL

    Se Jin Lee, MD

    School of Medicine, Kangwon National University
    Chuncheon, Kangwon-do, Republic of Korea

Objective:

To investigate whether shorter maternal height is associated with increased cardiac diastolic load in twin pregnancies using transthoracic echocardiographic parameters.

Study Design:
This retrospective study analyzed 946 women with twin pregnancies who underwent transthoracic echocardiography during the third trimester. Subjects were stratified into two groups across multiple maternal height cutoffs (ranging from 155 to 170 cm). Diastolic function parameters, including mitral E-wave velocity, E/e’ ratio, deceleration time (DT), isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT), and pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) were compared between the shorter and taller groups at each cutoff.

Results:
Across several height thresholds, women below the cutoff consistently exhibited echocardiographic signs of increased diastolic load. At the 158 cm cutoff, the shorter group showed significantly higher mitral E velocity (0.85 ± 0.25 vs. 0.79 ± 0.21 m/s, p=0.001) and E/e’ ratio (7.43 ± 2.48 vs. 6.84 ± 2.15, p=0.004), along with shorter deceleration time (180 ± 24.2 vs. 186.2 ± 33.6 ms, p=0.026) and IVRT (80.6 ± 12.1 vs. 83.4 ± 12.5 ms, p=0.006). These patterns remained consistent and statistically significant across the 157-164cm range. PASP was also elevated in the shorter group at several cutoffs (e.g., 22.4 ± 7.2 vs. 20.8 ± 6.4 mmHg at 158 cm, p=0.019).

Conclusion:
Short maternal stature in twin pregnancies is associated with echocardiographic indicators of increased diastolic filling pressure and reduced ventricular relaxation time. These findings suggest that women with smaller body size may have limited cardiovascular adaptation to the increased circulatory load of twin gestation. Diastolic focused cardiac assessment may aid in risk stratification and management of twin pregnancies in shorter statured women.