Effects of β-adrenergic stimulation on fetal heart rate, heart rate variability, and T-wave elevation during brief umbilical cord occlusions in fetal sheep

Dissecting the contributions of the peripheral chemoreflex and myocardial hypoxia to fetal heart rate decelerations in near-term fetal sheep

Brief repeated fetal hypoxaemia during labour can trigger intrapartum decelerations of the fetal heart rate (FHR) via the peripheral chemoreflex or the direct effects of myocardial hypoxia, but the relative contribution of these two mechanisms and how this balance changes with evolving fetal compromise remain unknown. In the present study, chronically instrumented near-term fetal sheep received surgical vagotomy (n = 8) or sham vagotomy (control, n = 11) to disable the peripheral chemoreflex and unmask myocardial hypoxia. One-minute complete umbilical cord occlusions (UCOs) were performed every 2.5 min for 4 h or until arterial pressure fell below 20 mmHg. Hypotension and severe acidaemia developed progressively after 65.7 ± 7.2 UCOs in control fetuses and 49.5 ± 7.8 UCOs after vagotomy. Vagotomy was associated with faster development of metabolic acidaemia and faster impairment of arterial pressure during UCOs without impairing centralization of blood flow or neurophysiological adaptation to UCOs. During the first half of the UCO series, before severe hypotension developed, vagotomy was associated with a marked increase in FHR during UCOs. After the onset of evolving severe hypotension, FHR fell faster in control fetuses during the first 20 s of UCOs, but FHR during the final 40 s of UCOs became progressively more similar between groups, with no difference in the nadir of decelerations. In conclusion, FHR decelerations were initiated and sustained by the peripheral chemoreflex at a time when fetuses were able to maintain arterial pressure. After the onset of evolving hypotension and acidaemia, the peripheral chemoreflex continued to initiate decelerations, but myocardial hypoxia became progressively more important in sustaining and deepening decelerations. KEY POINTS: Brief repeated hypoxaemia during labour can trigger fetal heart rate decelerations by either the peripheral chemoreflex or myocardial hypoxia, but how this balance changes with fetal compromise is unknown. Reflex control of fetal heart rate was disabled by vagotomy to unmask the effects of myocardial hypoxia in chronically instrumented fetal sheep. Fetuses were then subjected to repeated brief hypoxaemia consistent with the rates of uterine contractions during labour. We show that the peripheral chemoreflex controls brief decelerations in their entirety at a time when fetuses were able to maintain normal or increased arterial pressure. The peripheral chemoreflex still initiated decelerations even after the onset of evolving hypotension and acidaemia, but myocardial hypoxia made an increasing contribution to sustain and deepen decelerations.

Increased variability of fetal heart rate during labour: a review of preclinical and clinical studies

Increased fetal heart rate variability (FHRV) in intrapartum cardiotocographic recording has been variably defined and poorly understood, limiting its clinical utility. Both preclinical (animal) and clinical (human) evidence support that increased FHRV is observed in the early stage of intrapartum fetal hypoxaemia but can also be observed in a subset of fetuses during the preterminal stage of repeated hypoxaemia. This review of available evidence provides data and expert opinion on the pathophysiology of increased FHRV, its clinical significance and a stepwise approach regarding the management of this pattern, and propose recommendations for standardisation of related terminology.

Physiological control of fetal heart rate variability during labour: Implications and controversies

The interpretation of fetal heart rate (FHR) patterns is the only available method to continuously monitor fetal wellbeing during labour. One of the most important yet contentious aspects of the FHR pattern is changes in FHR variability (FHRV). Some clinical studies suggest that loss of FHRV during labour is a sign of fetal compromise so this is reflected in practice guidelines. Surprisingly, there is little systematic evidence to support this observation. In this review we methodically dissect the potential pathways controlling FHRV during labour-like hypoxaemia. Before labour, FHRV is controlled by the combined activity of the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems, in part regulated by a complex interplay between fetal sleep state and behaviour. By contrast, preclinical studies using multiple autonomic blockades have now shown that sympathetic neural control of FHRV was potently suppressed between periods of labour-like hypoxaemia, and thus, that the parasympathetic system is the sole neural regulator of FHRV once FHR decelerations are present during labour. We further discuss the pattern of changes in FHRV during progressive fetal compromise and highlight potential biochemical, behavioural and clinical factors that may regulate parasympathetic-mediated FHRV during labour. Further studies are needed to investigate the regulators of parasympathetic activity to better understand the dynamic changes in FHRV and their true utility during labour. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Lack of evidence for impaired preload or Bezold-Jarisch activation during brief umbilical cord occlusions in fetal sheep

Impaired cardiac preload secondary to umbilical cord occlusion (UCO) has been hypothesized to contribute to intrapartum decelerations, brief falls in fetal heart rate (FHR), through activation of the Bezold-Jarisch reflex. This cardioprotective reflex increases parasympathetic and inhibits sympathetic outflows triggering hypotension, bradycardia, and peripheral vasodilation, but its potential to contribute to intrapartum decelerations has never been systematically examined. In this study, we performed bilateral cervical vagotomy to remove the afferent arm and the efferent parasympathetic arm of the Bezold-Jarisch reflex. Twenty-two chronically instrumented fetal sheep at 0.85 of gestation received vagotomy (n = 7) or sham vagotomy (control, n = 15), followed by three 1-min complete UCOs separated by 4-min reperfusion periods. UCOs in control fetuses were associated with a rapid fall in FHR and reduced femoral blood flow mediated by intense femoral vasoconstriction, leading to hypertension. Vagotomy abolished the rapid fall in FHR (P < 0.001) and, despite reduced diastolic filling time, increased both carotid (P < 0.001) and femoral (P < 0.05) blood flow during UCOs, secondary to carotid vasodilation (P < 0.01) and delayed femoral vasoconstriction (P < 0.05). Finally, vagotomy was associated with an attenuated rise in cortical impedance during UCOs (P < 0.05), consistent with improved cerebral substrate supply. In conclusion, increased carotid and femoral blood flows after vagotomy are consistent with increased left and right ventricular output, which is incompatible with the hypothesis that labor-like UCOs impair ventricular filling. Overall, the cardiovascular responses to vagotomy do not support the hypothesis that the Bezold-Jarisch reflex is activated by UCO. The Bezold-Jarisch reflex is therefore mechanistically unable to contribute to intrapartum decelerations.