ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to investigate longitudinal changes in the subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) during pregnancy and after delivery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The SFCT was measured in the first and third trimesters, shortly after delivery, and 1 month after delivery in 25 eyes of 25 women. Enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography was used for measurement. RESULTS: The mean SFCT was 347 µm ± 86 µm, 329 µm ± 81 µm, 333 µm ± 81 µm, and 330 µm ± 87 µm in the first and third trimesters, shortly after delivery, and 1 month after delivery, respectively. The SFCT in the first trimester was significantly greater than that in the third trimester, shortly after delivery, and 1 month after delivery. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that the SFCT is greater in the first trimester and decreases in the third trimester of pregnancy. The SFCT does not subsequently change until 1 month after delivery. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2017;48:816-821.].
Subject(s)
Choroid/anatomy & histology , Adult , Female , Humans , Longitudinal Studies , Postpartum Period , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Trimester, First , Pregnancy Trimester, Third , Prospective Studies , Tomography, Optical Coherence/methodsABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To measure choroidal thickness in healthy pregnant women using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT) and compare the measurements with those of healthy non-pregnant women. METHODS: Choroidal thickness was measured at the fovea and at 3 mm superior, inferior, temporal, and nasal to the fovea using EDI-OCT in both healthy pregnant and non-pregnant women. RESULTS: The mean choroidal thickness in pregnant women was 275 ± 84 µm at the subfoveal and 307 ± 89, 277 ± 89, 274 ± 74, and 159 ± 60 µm at 3 mm superior, inferior, temporal, and nasal to the fovea, respectively. In comparison, the mean choroidal thickness in non-pregnant women was 273 ± 92 µm at the subfoveal and 301 ± 73, 290 ± 76, 293 ± 77, and 149 ± 55 µm at 3 mm superior, inferior, temporal, and nasal to the fovea, respectively. No significant statistical differences were found for choroidal thickness between the pregnant and non-pregnant women at any of the measurement points. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study demonstrate that the choroidal thickness was not significantly different between healthy pregnant and non-pregnant women.
