To investigate the change of abnormal fetal cardiac function in high risk pregnancy by automatic measurement method of myocardial performance index (MPI), and explore the simple and easy method to assess fetal heart function.

Three hundred and eleven singleton with 20-40 gestational weeks were involved, Using pulse Doppler to obtain the spectral information of the left ventricular inflow tract and outflow tract, Automatic measurement of left ventricular MPI by using a key measurement line placed in the aortic spectrum peak and Measurement of isovolumic contraction time (ICT), isovolumic relaxation time (IRT) and ejection time (ET) by step by step to obtain the traditional measurement method of left ventricular MPI. Left ventricular MPI were measured in 152 abnormal fetus (high risk pregnancy group) and 159 normal fetus (control group). The differences of left ventricular MPI measured by the two methods and changes value of left ventricular MPI between two groups were compared.

With MPI automatic measurement technique, the fetal left ventricular MPI were 0.510±0.040 in control group, and 0.542±0.124 in high risk pregnancy group, respectively; using the traditional method, the fetal left ventricular MPI were 0.504±0.055 in control group, and 0.538±0.123 in high risk pregnancy group, respectively. The fetal left ventricular MPI in high risk pregnancy group was higher than that in control group by using MPI automatic measurement technique (t=2.941, P<0.05).

MPI automatic measurement method may be more simple and accurate than the traditional method, which could have a better reliability and repeatability and be easy to apply in clinical practice.