The significance of fetal electrocardiography in the diagnosis of intrauterine bradyarrhythmia

Fetal echocardiography. A tool for evaluation of in utero cardiac arrhythmias and monitoring of in utero therapy: analysis of 71 patients

Fetal echocardiographic studies were performed in 71 patients referred for evaluation of cardiac rhythm disturbances at 24 to 40 weeks' gestation. After 2-dimensional echocardiographic study of cardiac structure was performed, M-mode echocardiograms were analyzed for measurement of cardiac rate, atrioventricular contraction sequence, atrioventricular valve motion, and duration of postectopic pauses. Arrhythmias were diagnosed in 59 patients. In 34 patients with isolated ectopic beats, the arrhythmia resolved during later pregnancy in 26 or within the first 5 days of life in 8. Six patients had mild sinus bradycardia and 8 had frequent sinus pauses; all 14 had resolution of the arrhythmia during pregnancy. Sustained arrhythmias occurred in 11 patients. Deaths occurred when there was associated fetal congestive heart failure (hydrops fetalis), structural heart disease, or both. M-mode echocardiography diagnosed supraventricular tachycardia in 3 fetuses. The echocardiogram was used thereafter for monitoring transplacental digoxin therapy.

Abnormal fetal heart rate associated with congenital abnormalities

The fetal heart rate (FHR) records obtained from 3140 patients were reviewed. Thirty-seven patients gave birth to an infant with a major congenital abnormality. Fifty-one per cent of this group demonstrated an abnormal FHR in the antepartum or intrapartum period. The Caesarean Section rate was 48 per cent and perinatal mortality was 50 per cent. In patients with an abnormal antepartum FHR record, an underlying congenital abnormality of the fetus should be considered.