We present a case of fetal tachycardia associated with maternal use of long-acting pseudoephedrine, an over-the-counter decongestant. No previous studies exist on pseudoephedrine or other over-the-counter decongestants and their effect on the fetal heart. The elevated fetal heart rate led to difficulty in interpreting a nonstress test. The normal human fetal heart rate at term is 110 to 160 bea...

BACKGROUND Previous studies suggest that the failing heart reactivates fetal genes and reverts to a fetal pattern of energy substrate metabolism. We tested this hypothesis by examining metabolic gene expression profiles in the fetal, nonfailing, and failing human heart. METHODS AND RESULTS Human left ventricular tissue (apex) was obtained from 9 fetal, 10 nonfailing, and 10 failing adult hear...

Widespread use of fetal heart rate monitoring for intrapartum fetal surveillance preceded our detailed understanding of the behaviour and regulation of the fetal cardiovascular system during labour. The fetal heart rate is sensitive to fetal hypoxaemia and hypoxia, but lacks specificity for fetal acidosis, the end point of unmitigated hypoxaemia and hypoxia. Original interpretations of fetal he...

OBJECTIVE This article aims to present updated therapeutic options for fetal congenital heart diseases. METHODS Data source for the present study was based on comprehensive literature retrieval on fetal cardiac interventions in terms of indications, technical approaches and clinical outcomes. RESULTS About 5% of fetal congenital heart diseases are critical and timely intrauterine interventi...

Fetal heart rate and fetal movements provide information on the fetal condition. In the near term human fetus, four behavioural states have been described based upon heart rate patterns and presence or absence of eye and body movements. For our studies concerning fetal physiology as well as the influence of maternal antiepileptic medication and the effects of intrauterine growth retardation on ...

Electronic fetal heart rate monitoring is commonly used to assess fetal well-being during labor. Although detection of fetal compromise is one benefit of fetal monitoring, there are also risks, including false-positive tests that may result in unnecessary surgical intervention. Since variable and inconsistent interpretation of fetal heart rate tracings may affect management, a systematic approa...

In a discordant anencephalic twin the hypothesis was tested that the fetal brain is necessary for the expression of a diurnal rhythm in fetal heart rate. Fetal heart rate recordings were made over a 24 h period in a discordant anencephalic twin pregnancy and in three normal twin pregnancies. Cosinor analysis was used to assess rhythmicity in fetal heart rate and maternal heart rate or activity....

consensus has formed among sonographers, radiologists, obstetricians, and maternal-fetal medicine subspecialists: screening for fetal heart disease deserves the dubious distinction of being one of the most challenging and least successful aspects of fetal ultrasonography. Because of the challenges inherent with screening the fetus for congenital heart disease (CHD), the rate of prenatal detecti...

Introduction: It is well know that fetal distress is one of the important causes of fetus perinatal morbidity and mortality. In this study, we sought to evaluate the association between umbilical coiling index and fetal distress.Material and method:This was a case- control study conducted on 90 term pregnant women. Study group had fetal distress (abnormal fetal heart rate, meconium staining, Ap...

Clinical fetal heart failure occurs in conditions associated with increasing left and right atrial filling and/or central venous pressures and manifests as right heart failure with the development of pericardial and pleural effusions, ascites and peripheral and placental edema. Fetal heart failure may occur in primary myocardial disease, in presence of the extracardiac pathology impacting the l...