Foveal and parafoveal retinal thickness in healthy pregnant women in their last trimester

Abstract

Mehmet Demir, Ersin Oba, Efe Can, Mahmut Odabasi, Semra Tiryaki, Erhan Ozdal, Hakan SensozEye Clinic, Sisli Etfal Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, TurkeyPurpose: The inspection of foveal and parafoveal thickness in healthy pregnant women in the last trimester.Materials and methods: This study included 40 healthy pregnant women in their last trimester (study group: 40 women, 80 eyes) and 37 nonpregnant women (control group: 37 women, 74 eyes). Visual acuity, intraocular pressure, slit lamp examination of anterior and posterior segments, and visual field examination with automated perimetry were performed in both groups. Foveal and parafoveal thickness in the four quadrants (upper, nasal, temporal, and inferior parafoveal) and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer were measured by optical coherence tomography. There were no systemic or ocular problems in either group. Findings were analyzed with statistical software. A P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: Mean foveal and parafoveal thicknesses in the study group were: foveal 236.12 ± 27.28 µm, upper quadrant 321.31 ± 12.28 µm, temporal quadrant 307.0 ± 12.05 µm, inferior quadrant 317.0 ± 10.58 µm, and nasal quadrant 313.62 ± 14.51 µm. Mean foveal and parafoveal thicknesses in the control group were: foveal 224.62 ± 21.19 µm, upper quadrant 311.62 ± 12.71 µm, temporal quadrant 296.87 ± 13.78 µm, inferior quadrant 305.43 ± 13.25 µm, and nasal quadrant 304.93 ± 13.44 µm. Mean retinal nerve fiber layer thicknesses in the study and control group were 110 ± 12.4 µm and 108 ± 13.1 µm, respectively.Conclusion: Mean retinal thickness in pregnant women was higher than control group in all measurements. Statistically significant difference in thickness was only found in upper, temporal, and inferior parafoveal areas.Keywords: pregnancy, last trimester, foveal and parafoveal thickness, optical coherence tomography