Large fetal heart rate decelerations at term associated with changes in fetal heart rate variation
Article Abstract:
Large decelerations in fetal heart rate (FHR) appear to reflect a change in behavioral state and are not associated with an increased risk of poor outcome. FHR records from 3,998 fetuses were analyzed. From 135 of the patients, there were 140 FHR records with decelerations lasting more than five minutes. The greater the loss of heart beats, the more likely that FHR variation dropped. In 78 graphs with a large deceleration, FHR variation fell in 42% and increased in 5%. Altogether, 76% of the fetuses were delivered vaginally and without fetal distress. However, the greater the loss of heart beats, the more likely the fetus was delivered by cesarean section. Cord entanglement is a probable cause of large decelerations. Periods of fetal activity, which are associated with high FHR variation, would increase the chance of cord entanglement. Following entanglement, the reduction in oxygen would signal a switch to a less active state, which is associated with little variation in FHR.
Publication Name: American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0002-9378
Year: 1993
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
Fetal cerebral, circulatory, and metabolic responses during heart rate decelerations with umbilical cord compression
Article Abstract:
The sheep fetus appears to maintain oxygen delivery to the brain during umbilical cord compression but at the cost of rising lactic acid levels. Researchers surgically inserted instrumentation and an umbilical cord cuff in nine fetal sheep in order to simulate umbilical cord compression and measure its effects. Compression sufficient to cause variable heart rate decelerations, a drop in blood oxygen content and a rise in carbon dioxide content resulted in a redistribution of blood flow to the upper body that maintained oxygenation to the brain and heart. However lactic acid produced by oxygen-starved muscles, itself a potential problem, increased.
Publication Name: American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0002-9378
Year: 1996
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
Amniotic fluid index predicts the relief of variable decelerations after amnioinfusion bolus
Article Abstract:
The amount of amniotic fluid present prior to amnioinfusion during labor may predict the success of amnioinfusion at relieving fetal distress. During amnioinfusion, saline is infused into the uterus via a vaginal catheter. The intent is to restore amniotic fluid volume, thus relieving umbilical cord compression. Of 85 women having amnioinfusion for abnormal fetal heart rate, the probability of success rose as the amount of amniotic fluid prior to infusion fell. More women with adequate amniotic fluid had an umbilical cord wrapped around the neck or a true knot, which are other causes of compression-related fetal distress.
Publication Name: American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0002-9378
Year: 1996
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
- Abstracts: Peripartum heart failure associated with prolonged tocolytic therapy. Effect of chronic tocolytic therapy on maternal ventricular function in pregnant rabbits
- Abstracts: The development of abnormal heart rate patterns after absent end-diastolic velocity in umbilical artery: analysis of risk factors
- Abstracts: Blood transfusion as a major risk factor for HTLV-I infection among hospitalized children in Gabon (equatorial Africa)
- Abstracts: Prevalence and expression of photosensitivity in systemic lupus erythematosus. Expression of systemic lupus erythematosus in various ethnic Jewish Israeli groups
- Abstracts: Depressed levels of dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate in postmenopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis but no relation with axial bone density