An exploratory study of fetal behavior at 33 and 36 weeks gestational age in hypertensive women

Cerebroplacental ratio and neonatal outcome in low-risk pregnancies with reduced fetal movement: A prospective study

Objective

To evaluate the effectiveness of the cerebroplacental ratio (CPR) in predicting poor outcomes in low-risk pregnancies with reduced fetal movements (RFMs).

Study Design

This prospective study included singleton pregnancies at 28–40 weeks, presenting with RFM but no additional risk factors. Sub analysis was performed for pregnancies between 36 and 40 weeks. Umbilical artery (UA) and middle cerebral artery (MCA) pulsatility indices (PIs) were measured, and the MCA-PI to UA-PI ratio (CPR) was calculated. Mode of delivery, gestational age, fetal monitoring category, Apgar score at 1 and 5 min, birth weight, presence of meconium, umbilical artery pH, and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission were recorded. Women with good and poor outcomes were compared with doppler indices and pregnancy characteristics.

Results

Of 96 women, 86 had good outcomes. There was no significant difference in UA-PI (0.871 ± 0.171 vs. 0.815 ± 0.179, P = 0.446), MCA-PI (1.778 ± 0.343 vs. 1.685 ± 0.373, P = 0.309), or CPR (2.107 ± 0.635 vs. 2.09 ± 0.597, P = 0.993) between the poor and good outcome groups. No difference was found in the location of the placenta, biophysical profile (BPP) score, fetal sex, or amniotic fluid index (AFI) at the time of presentation. The proportion of nulliparous patients in the poor outcome group was higher than that of multiparous patients. Sub analysis for 36–40 weeks revealed the same results; no significant difference in UA-PI (0.840 ± 0.184 Vs 0.815 ± 0.195, P = 0.599), MCA-PI (1.724 ± 0.403 vs. 1.626 ± 0.382, P = 0.523), or CPR (2.14 ± 0.762 vs. 2.08 ± 0.655, P = 0.931) between poor and good outcome groups.

Conclusions

CPR is not predictive of neonatal outcome in low-risk pregnancies with RFM. However, a higher proportion of poor outcomes in nulliparous women warrants further investigation.

Fetal Development: Voice Processing in Normotensive and Hypertensive Pregnancies

Recent observation of maternal voice recognition provides evidence of rudimentary memory and learning in healthy term fetuses. However, such higher order auditory processing has not been examined in the presence of maternal hypertension, which is associated with reduced and/or impaired uteroplacental blood flow. In this study, voice processing was examined in 40 fetuses (gestational ages of 33 to 41 weeks) of hypertensive and normotensive women. Fetuses received 2 min of no sound, 2 min of a tape-recorded story read by their mothers or by a female stranger, and 2 min of no sound while fetal heart rate was recorded. Results demonstrated that fetuses in the normotensive group had heart rate accelerations during the playing of their mother's voice, whereas the response occurred in the hypertensive group following maternal voice offset. Across all fetuses, a greater fetal heart rate change was observed when the amniotic fluid index was above compared to below the median (i.e., 150 mm), indicating that amniotic fluid volume may be an independent moderator of fetal auditory sensitivity. It was concluded that differential fetal responding to the mother's voice in pregnancies complicated by maternal hypertension may reflect functional elevation of sensorineural threshold or a delay in auditory system maturation, signifying functional differences during fetal life or subtle differences in the development of the central nervous system.

Pregnancy Outcome in Women with Decreased Sensation of Fetal Movements at Term According to Parity

BACKGROUND

Decreased sensation of fetal movements (DFM) is a common maternal complaint. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the association between DFM and pregnancy outcome in singleton gestation at term according to parity.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study of singleton pregnancies at term between 2008 and 2013. Eligibility was limited to women carrying a fetus with no known structural or chromosomal anomalies, at 37+0/7 to 42+0/7 weeks of gestation. Women presenting to the delivery ward with DFM were compared with women without similar complaints.

RESULTS

Overall, 12,564 nulliparous women and 25,292 multiparous women gave birth during the study period; of them, 300 nulliparous women (2.4%) and 525 multiparous women (2.1%) complained of DFM. For nulliparous women, after adjusting for potential confounders, DFM was associated with antepartum fetal death (aOR 4.6 [95% CI 1.1-19.8]), cesarean delivery (CD) (aOR 1.3 [95% CI 1.01-1.8]), 1-minute Apgar score less than 7 (aOR 2.3 [95% CI 1.5-3.5]) and neonatal seizures (aOR 3.2 [95% CI 1.3-8.2]). For multiparous women, DFM was associated with unscheduled CD (aOR 2.7 [95% CI 1.6-4.6]) and CD indicated by intermediate/abnormal fetal heart rate tracing (aOR 4.8 [95% CI 2.8-8.4]).

CONCLUSIONS

DFM carries different outcomes according to parity. Although for nulliparous women, DFM is associated with increased risk of CD and immediate adverse perinatal outcome, for multiparous women it is associated with increased risk for CD, with no immediate increased risk for adverse perinatal outcome.

Assessment of fetal behavior using four-dimensional ultrasonography: current knowledge and perspectives

In the last decades, the development of real-time ultrasonography has allowed the direct view of the fetus in the uterus, as well as assessing its activity. The advent of three-dimensional ultrasonography (3D) at the end of the 80s initiated a new era in diagnostic imaging for Obstetrics, dramatically increasing the possibility of studying the fetus. Recently, a new technique allowing the 3D image to be transformed into real-time was introduced: the four-dimensional (4D) ultrasonography. It allows the continuous monitoring of fetal face and other surface areas, such as the extremities. Some studies have already assessed this new methodology for fetal behavior observation during different stages of pregnancy, trying to understand better the relationship between fetal central nervous system maturation and the implications for its behavior. In this article, the authors review the current use of 4D ultrasonography in the assessment of fetal behavior, and discuss the possibilities of the technique to show the neurological development of the fetus, by means of watching movement and facial expressions. They also highlight the potential applicability of this new method in this new research area of fetal medicine.

Can vibroacoustic stimulation improve the efficiency of a tertiary care antenatal testing unit?

OBJECTIVE

Our primary objective was to determine whether vibroacoustic stimulation (VAS) decreases time to fetal reactivity in the antenatal testing unit (ATU) of a tertiary care center.

METHODS

We performed a prospective, quality assurance initiative to determine whether VAS could increase the efficiency of our ATU. On pre-specified "VAS days," VAS was applied for 3 s, if the non-stress test was non-reactive in the first 10 min. Generalized estimating equations models were used to account for within subject correlation due to multiple appointments per patient.

RESULTS

VAS use was associated with a 3.76-min reduction in time to reactivity (21.79 vs 25.55, p = 0.011) and a 56% reduction in the need for a biophysical profile (OR: 0.44, 95% CI: 0.21-0.90). Overall, however, we found no significant decrease in time spent on the monitor or in the ATU.

CONCLUSION

Compliance with a strict VAS protocol may improve the efficiency of increasingly busy ATUs.

Atypical fetal voice processing in preeclamptic pregnancy

OBJECTIVE

To compare fetal heart rate (HR) response to the mother's voice in pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia with those of fetuses in uneventful, normotensive pregnancies.

METHOD

Fifty fetuses (n = 22, preeclampsia; n = 28, uneventful, normotensive pregnancies) between 32 and 40 weeks gestational age were recruited. Each fetus was presented with a 2-min no-sound baseline period followed by a 2-min voice period during which an audio recording of his/her mother reading a story was played through a loud speaker over the maternal abdomen at an average of 95 dBA followed by a 2-min no-voice offset period. HR was recorded continuously.

RESULTS

Fetuses in the preeclamptic group showed no response to the mother's voice when it was played. In comparison, fetuses in the uneventful, normotensive group responded to the mother's voice with a HR increase.

CONCLUSION

Fetuses in pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia show atypical auditory processing of the mother's voice. Such atypical responding may reflect a delay in auditory system maturation, functional elevation of sensorineural threshold, or decreased thyroid hormone.

The potential of 4D sonography in the assessment of fetal neurobehavior--multicentric study in high-risk pregnancies

OBJECTIVE

An evolving challenge for obstetrician is to better define normal and abnormal fetal neurological function in utero in order to better predict antenatally which fetuses are at risk for adverse neurological outcome.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Prenatal neurological assessment in high-risk fetuses using four-dimensional ultrasound applying the recently developed Kurjak antenatal neurodevelopmental test (KANET). Postnatal neurological assessment was performed using Amiel Tison's neurological assessment at term (ATNAT) for all live-borns and general movement (GM) assessment for those with borderline and abnormal ATNAT.

RESULTS

Inclusion criteria were met by 288 pregnant women in four centers of whom 266 gave birth to a live-born baby. It was revealed that 234 fetuses were neurologically normal, 7 abnormal and 25 borderline. Out of 7 abnormal fetuses ATNAT was borderline in 5 and abnormal in 2, whereas GM assessment was abnormal in 5 and definitely abnormal in 2. Out of 25 KANET borderline fetuses, ATNAT was normal in 7, borderline in 17 and abnormal in 1, whereas the GM assessment was as follows: normal optimal in 4, normal suboptimal in 20, and abnormal in 1. In summary, out of 32 borderline and abnormal fetuses ATNAT was normal in 7, borderline in 22 and abnormal in 3; GM assessment was normal optimal in 4, normal suboptimal in 20, abnormal in 6 and definitely abnormal in 2.

CONCLUSION

The sonographic test requires further studies before being recommended for wider clinical practice.

Maternal Heart Rate Variability and Fetal Behavior in Hypertensive and Normotensive Pregnancies

The relation between maternal heart rate variability (HRV) and fetal behavior was examined in hypertensive and normotensive pregnant women. A total of 40 mother—fetal pairs (n = 20 normotensive mothers; n = 20 hypertensive mothers) at 33—41 weeks' gestation were observed using a standardized procedure lasting approximately 50 min. It included the following measurements: maternal beat-by-beat arterial blood pressure and HRV; spontaneous fetal heart rate (HR), body and breathing movements; and an estimate of amniotic fluid volume. The women in the hypertensive group had higher average body mass index (BMI) (33.7 vs. 28.8 kg/m2) than the normotensive group. In the normotensive group, there was no association between maternal HRV and fetal gestational age, HR, body or breathing movements. In the hypertensive group, maternal HRV measures of low-frequency, high-frequency, and total power were associated with fetal gestational age; also, there was an association between maternal autonomic modulation of HR and fetal spontaneous HR. These findings suggest that the maternal autonomic system influences fetal cardiac function in pregnancies complicated by hypertension.

Comparison of fetal behavior in low- and high-risk pregnancies

Meta-analyses were conducted on archival data of human fetal behavior to identify differential behavior among high-risk fetuses in pregnancies complicated by threatened preterm delivery, maternal hypertension or diabetes compared with low-risk fetuses in uneventful pregnancies, delivering as healthy, full-term infants. Data for a total of 493 fetuses (260 high risk, 233 low risk) from 23 weeks' gestation to term who participated in a study using a standardized protocol including observations of spontaneous and auditory-induced behavior were retrieved from our laboratory database. There were no differences in spontaneous behaviors when scored using clinical criteria for the nonstress test and biophysical profile; however, there were differences in the magnitude of the behaviors measured in the tests. Developmental differences were observed between those threatening to deliver early and the fetuses of hypertensive and diabetic mothers. The latter two groups differed little from one another but differed from low-risk fetuses in their response to auditory stimulation. We concluded that differences in behavior among high-risk groups suggest that atypical fetal behaviors may represent adaptation to condition specific insult rather than a generalized response to insult per se. The finding that high-risk fetuses showed atypical responses to auditory stimuli indicates a need to examine the relation between fetal auditory function and later language acquisition.