Assessment of Fetal Aortic, Thoracic, and Heartbeat in Healthy Donkey Pregnancies.
Abstract: Practitioners are frequently requested to diagnose and stage pregnancy in donkeys with unknown breeding dates; however, scant work has been done to stage pregnancy in the species. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the association between measurements of fetal aortic, thoracic, and heartbeat with gestational age in donkeys carrying and delivering healthy foals. Multiparous Dezhou donkeys (n = 50) ranging from 4 to 16 years were enrolled in the study by 150 days of gestation. Transabdominal ultrasonography coupled with a 3.5 MHz sectorial convex transducer was performed at 30 day-intervals until delivery to obtain fetal aortic, thoracic, and fetal heartbeat measurements. Data were tested for normality with Shapiro- Wilk's test and then ANOVA and Tukey's. Statistical significance was set at P < .05. The mean duration of pregnancy was 356.6 ± 10.6 days (339-368). There were significant associations between gestational age and fetal aortic (r = 0.89) and thoracic (r = 0.88) measurements. Fetal heartbeat (r = -0.76) was negatively correlated with gestation length. The fetal aortic and thoracic measurements increased from the seventh month of gestation to the term (P < .001). The fetal heartbeat remained steady from 150 days to 270 days of gestation, then continuously decreased from 270 days until parturition (P < .001). In conclusion, fetal aortic and thoracic measurements are strongly associated with gestational age in donkeys. Fetal heartbeat decreases with advanced pregnancy.
Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Publication Date: 2022-06-09 PubMed ID: 35691582DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2022.104038Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The study provides insights into the relationship between gestational age in donkeys and measurements of fetal aortic and thoracic dimensions, as well as the fetus’s heartbeat. Researchers found that the size of the aorta and thorax increase as gestation progresses, and the fetus’s heart rate decreases as pregnancy advances.
Objective of research
- The purpose of the study was to fill a gap in understanding how to accurately estimate pregnancy stages in donkeys, for which limited research exists.
- The researchers were interested in determining the connection between the growth of certain fetal body parts (aortic and thoracic dimensions) and the changes in fetal heartbeat with the length of gestation.
Methodology
- The study involved 50 multiparous Dezhou donkeys of ages between 4 to 16 years, all enrolled by the 150th day of gestation.
- Using transabdominal ultrasonography with a 3.5 MHz sectorial convex transducer, the donkeys’ fetal aortic and thoracic measurements, as well as fetal heartbeat were taken.
- These measurements were taken at intervals of every 30 days until the donkeys gave birth.
- Statistical tools including the Shapiro-Wilk’s test, ANOVA, and Tukey’s were used to tested the gathered data for normality, with a set statistical significance at P < .05.
Results
- The average length of pregnancy was calculated to be around 356.6 ± 10.6 days (ranging from 339 to 368 days).
- There was observed to be a significant positive correlation between gestational age and fetal aortic (r = 0.89) and thoracic (r = 0.88) measurements, indicating that both the aortic and thoracic dimensions increase as the pregnancy progresses.
- However, the fetal heartbeat showed a negative correlation (r = -0.76) with gestation length, implying that the fetus’s heartbeat rate decreased as the term of pregnancy extended.
- The increase of fetal aortic and thoracic measurements was found to be from the seventh month of gestation to term, while fetal heartbeat remained steady from 150 days to 270 days of gestation, but decreased continuously from 270 days until parturition.
Conclusion
- The study’s findings indicate that fetal aortic and thoracic measurements in donkeys are strongly correlated with gestational age.
- Moreover, it was found that a decrease in the fetal heartbeat is linked to the advancement of pregnancy.
Cite This Article
APA
Magalhaes HB, Canisso IF.
(2022).
Assessment of Fetal Aortic, Thoracic, and Heartbeat in Healthy Donkey Pregnancies.
J Equine Vet Sci, 115, 104038.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2022.104038 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois Urbana- Champaign, Urbana IL.
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois Urbana- Champaign, Urbana IL. Electronic address: canisso@illinois.edu.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Equidae
- Female
- Fetus / diagnostic imaging
- Gestational Age
- Heart Rate
- Pregnancy
- Pregnancy, Animal
- Ultrasonography, Prenatal / veterinary
Conflict of Interest Statement
Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
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