This study documents the development of fetal heart rate (FHR) change in response to fetal movement (FM) in healthy fetuses from 20 weeks' gestational age through term. Thirty-one fetuses received 50 min of Doppler-based monitoring at 20, 24, 28, 32, 36 and 38-39 weeks. FHR and FM were continuously digitized. A coupling index was computed as the percentage of FMs associated with increases in FH...

OBJECTIVES Moxibustion, a Traditional Chinese Medicine technique related to acupuncture, was proposed to facilitate cephalic version of breech presentation. Several trials were conducted to evaluate the efficacy, but there are few reports on the safety of moxibustion. Our objective was to assess the side-effects and acceptability of this intervention. DESIGN We are conducting a randomized con...

Introduction This study presents the first direct investigation of fetal brain activity in utero using fMRI. Human fetal brain activity is usually studied indirectly by monitoring the changes in fetal heart rate and associated fetal movements, although recently fetal MEG has been attempted’. fMRI offers a safe and relatively robust method of monitoring fetal brain activity. This has major impli...

Fetal movement monitoring has been examined as means of assessing fetal health and detecting distress that, left untreated, may result in stillbirth. Count the Kicks is an evidence-based stillbirth prevention campaign focused on educating expectant parents about importance tracking 3rd trimester pregnancy. The purpose this study to assess effectiveness Kick campaign, including: 1) how women use...

Fetal movements and fetal heart rate (FHR) are well-established markers of fetal well-being and maturation of the fetal central nervous system. The purpose of this paper is to review and discuss the available knowledge on fetal movements and heart rate patterns in twin pregnancies. There is some evidence for an association or similarity in fetal movement incidences or FHR patterns between both ...

The most significant ultrasound parameters indicating viability of the equine fetus include fetal heart rate and fetal activity. Abnormal patterns in fetal heart rate reactivity represent the most sensitive indicator of fetal compromise. In advanced to late gestation, the fetal cardiac area becomes quite inaccessible to an ultrasound examination per rectum. Peripheral arterial pulses may be use...

There have been many diagnostic techniques using amniotic fluid or placental villi, for which needed puncture of amniotic fluid (amniocentesis) and placental villi sampling (CVS) in early pregnancy. The techniques accompany some risk factors of fetal demise or miscarriage. Also immature fetal lung was diagnosed in preterm births by the chemical or physical property of amniotic fluid obtained by...

Massive perivillous fibrin deposition (MPFD) and maternal floor infarction (MFI) are rare and poorly understood placental lesions often leading to preterm delivery, intrauterine fetal growth restriction (IUGR), and fetal death. An association between MPFD and thrombophilia has been reported. Here, we report two cases in which MPFD followed a previous uncomplicated term pregnancy. MPFD was diagn...

This study was undertaken to determine the mechanisms mediating changes in fetal heart rate variability (FHRV) during and after exposure to asphyxia in the premature fetus. Preterm fetal sheep at 0.6 of gestation (91 +/- 1 days, term is 147 days) were exposed to either sham occlusion (n = 10) or to complete umbilical cord occlusion for either 20 (n = 7) or 30 min (n = 10). Cord occlusion led to...

Ultrasonic appearance probably indicative of imminent fetal death One of the difficulties in recognising fetal death by ultrasonic scanning in early pregnancy is that the negative finding of no fetal heart movement must always be less convincing than a positive finding. Furthermore, Robinson' found only one instance of irregularity of the fetal heart in ten cases scanned before their pregnancie...