Biomaterial Database

Perinatal outcome in the absence of antepartum fetal heart rate acceleration. 1983

K J Leveno, and M L Williams, and R T DePalma, and P J Whalley

The perinatal outcome of 27 pregnancies in which antepartum fetal activity testing revealed fetal heart rate acceleration to be either absent or less than 10 beats per minute for 80 minutes is presented. At delivery, each pregnancy was found to have one or more features consistent with uteroplacental insufficiency. These included fetal growth retardation (74%), oligohydramnios (81%), fetal acidosis (41%), meconium (30%), and placental infarction (93%). There were four fetal and seven neonatal deaths, for a perinatal mortality of 41%. Despite delivery of all live-born infants by cesarean section without labor, the infants who died during the neonatal period appeared to be in such poor condition as to preclude survival. The authors conclude that the inability of the fetus to accelerate its heart rate, when not due to maternal medications, is an ominous signal. Throughout the literature on fetal activity testing there are indications that other investigators have had similar experiences. The purpose of the present report is to direct attention to an abnormal fetal activity test result of which the significance is not widely recognized.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009068	Movement	The act, process, or result of passing from one place or position to another. It differs from LOCOMOTION in that locomotion is restricted to the passing of the whole body from one place to another, while movement encompasses both locomotion but also a change of the position of the whole body or any of its parts. Movement may be used with reference to humans, vertebrate and invertebrate animals, and microorganisms. Differentiate also from MOTOR ACTIVITY, movement associated with behavior.	Movements
D010927	Placental Insufficiency	Failure of the PLACENTA to deliver an adequate supply of nutrients and OXYGEN to the FETUS.	Insufficiency, Placental
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D005260	Female		Females
D005313	Fetal Death	Death of the developing young in utero. BIRTH of a dead FETUS is STILLBIRTH.	Fetal Mummification,Fetal Demise,Death, Fetal,Deaths, Fetal,Demise, Fetal,Fetal Deaths,Mummification, Fetal
D005317	Fetal Growth Retardation	Failure of a FETUS to attain expected GROWTH.	Growth Retardation, Intrauterine,Intrauterine Growth Retardation,Fetal Growth Restriction,Intrauterine Growth Restriction
D005318	Fetal Heart	The heart of the fetus of any viviparous animal. It refers to the heart in the postembryonic period and is differentiated from the embryonic heart (HEART/embryology) only on the basis of time.	Fetal Hearts,Heart, Fetal,Hearts, Fetal
D005323	Fetal Monitoring	Physiologic or biochemical monitoring of the fetus. It is usually done during LABOR, OBSTETRIC and may be performed in conjunction with the monitoring of uterine activity. It may also be performed prenatally as when the mother is undergoing surgery.	Monitoring, Fetal,Fetal Monitorings,Monitorings, Fetal
D006339	Heart Rate	The number of times the HEART VENTRICLES contract per unit of time, usually per minute.	Cardiac Rate,Chronotropism, Cardiac,Heart Rate Control,Heartbeat,Pulse Rate,Cardiac Chronotropy,Cardiac Chronotropism,Cardiac Rates,Chronotropy, Cardiac,Control, Heart Rate,Heart Rates,Heartbeats,Pulse Rates,Rate Control, Heart,Rate, Cardiac,Rate, Heart,Rate, Pulse
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man