Sonographic study of the relationship between gestational diabetes mellitus and fetal activity

Fetal Heart Rate Variability Is Affected by Fetal Movements: A Systematic Review

Introduction: Fetal heart rate variability (FHRV) evaluates the fetal neurological state, which is poorly assessed by conventional prenatal surveillance including cardiotocography (CTG). Accurate FHRV on a beat-to-beat basis, assessed by time domain and spectral domain analyses, has shown promising results in the scope of fetal surveillance. However, accepted standards for these techniques are lacking, and the influence of fetal breathing movements and gross movements may be especially challenging. Thus, current standards for equivalent assessments in adults prescribe rest and controlled respiration. The aim of this review is to clarify the importance of fetal movements on FHRV. Methods: A systematic review in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines based on publications in the EMBASE, the MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Library databases was performed. Studies describing the impact of fetal movements on time domain, spectral domain and entropy analyses in healthy human fetuses were reviewed. Only studies based on fetal electrocardiography or fetal magnetocardiography were included. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42018068806. Results: In total, 14 observational studies were included. Fetal movement detection, signal processing, length, and selection of appropriate time series varied across studies. Despite these divergences, all studies showed an increase in overall FHRV in the moving fetus compared to the resting fetus. Especially short-term, vagal mediated indexes showed an increase during fetal breathing movements including an increase in Root Mean Square of the Successive Differences (RMSSD) and High Frequency power (HF) and a decrease in Low Frequency power/High Frequency power (LF/HF). These findings were present even in analyses restricted to one specific fetal behavioral state defined by Nijhuis. On the other hand, fetal body movements seemed to increase parameters supposed to represent the sympathetic response [LF and Standard Deviation of RR-intervals from normal sinus beats (SDNN)] proportionally more than parameters representing the parasympathetic response (RMSSD, HF). Results regarding entropy analyses were inconclusive. Conclusion: Time domain analyses as well as spectral domain analyses are affected by fetal movements. Fetal movements and especially breathing movements should be considered in these analyses of FHRV.

Diagnostic Significance of Ultrasonographic Markers and Score in Detection of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in the Indian Subcontinent

In most countries, only high-risk women are screened for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). In addition, a onetime early screening test may miss GDM as it may be diagnosable between 24 and 28 weeks. Thus, it is preferable to have alternative tests to classify women as high risk for GDM and keep them under regular follow-up. A total of 120 women with singleton pregnancies and established maternal and/or pregnancy-related risk factors for GDM and who provided informed consent were subjected to an obstetric ultrasound scan at/or after 24 weeks' gestation followed by administration of a 2-hour 75-g oral glucose tolerance test. Various ultrasound markers were determined/measured. Each ultrasound GDM marker was assigned 1 point to create the ultrasound gestational diabetes screening (UGDS) score. All ultrasound GDM markers positively correlated to the disease (P < 0.0001). The strongest independent predictor of GDM was an immature appearance of placenta (relative risk, 49.09; 95% confidence interval, 7.04-342.28; P < 0.0001). Receiver operator characteristics showed an area under the curve of 96.9%, confirming good ability of the UGDS to discriminate between positive and negative oral glucose tolerance test. A UGDS score of 4, providing diagnostic efficiency of 92%, sensitivity of 93.2%, specificity of 92%, positive predictive value of 85.4%, and negative predictive value of 96.4%, is proposed by this study. This study suggests that ultrasound markers significantly vary in GDM compared with normal pregnancy women and that UGDS is a good predictor of GDM. The UGDS may be considered an adjunct to current screening tools for GDM.

4D assessment of fetal brain function in diabetic patients

OBJECTIVE

To assess whether there is a difference in the behavior of fetuses of pregnant women with diabetes under treatment with insulin, compared to fetuses of pregnant women without diabetes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Kurjak's antenatal neurodevelopmental test (KANET) - a method that, by application of four-dimensional (4D) ultrasound, assesses fetal behavior in a similar way that neonatologists perform a neurological assessment in newborns - was applied from 28 to 38 weeks of gestation to 40 pregnancies with pre-existing diabetes mellitus or gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) requiring insulin (diabetic group) and to 40 non-diabetic cases, with otherwise low-risk pregnancies (non-diabetic group).

RESULTS

There were no statistically significant differences regarding maternal age (30.5±5.1 years for diabetic group vs. 29.8±6.2 years for non-diabetic group) and gestational age (32±1.6 weeks for the diabetic group compared to 33±1.2 weeks for the non-diabetic group). After analysis of the results obtained from application of KANET to each group, results of KANET had higher scores in the non-diabetic group.

CONCLUSION

It appears that there are differences in the fetal behavior between diabetic and non-diabetic fetuses, and also the specific parameters - movements that were different between the two groups were identified.

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.

Fetal breathing movements and changes at birth

The fetus, which develops within a fluid-filled amniotic sac, relies on the placenta for respiratory gas exchange rather than the lungs. While not involved in fetal oxygenation, fetal breathing movements (FBM) nevertheless have an important role in lung growth and in development of respiratory muscles and neural regulation. FBM are regulated differently in many respects than postnatal respiration, which results from the unique intrauterine environment. Prominent distinctions of FBM include its episodic nature and apnea-sensitivity to hypoxia. The latter characteristic is the basis for using FBM in the assessment of fetuses at risk for hypoxic injury. At birth, the transition to continuous postnatal respiration involves a fall in temperature, gaseous distention of the lungs, activation of the Hering-Breuer reflexes, and functional connectivity of afferent O2 chemoreceptor activity with respiratory motoneurons and arousal centers. Importantly, exposure to drugs or adverse conditions in utero not only can change patterns of FBM but also can lead to epigenetic dysregulation in postnatal respiration. Such changes, can blunt respiratory and arousal defenses against hypoxic challenges in sleep. Thus, fetal hypoxia and/or drug exposure may in later life dispose sleeping infants, children, and adults to hypertension, diabetes mellitus, brain injury, and sudden death.