Fetal motor activity and acceleration in the cardiotocogram

Abstract

The results of the concomitant monitoring of the fetal heart rate and the total fetal movement activity by two ultrasound monitors are reported. In 111 patients from 26 weeks gestation to term the cardiotocogram and the fetal movement activity were at the same time monitored with two ultrasound monitors. In total 453 fetal heart rate accelerations of more than 15 beats per minute and more than 15 seconds duration were found in all cardiotocograms. The most frequent finding with an acceleration of the fetal heart rate were fetal body movements with or without movements of the extremities in 71% of the fetal heart rate accelerations. In 18% of the fetal heart rate accelerations movements of the fetal extremities were found by ultrasonography. In 7% of the fetal heart rate accelerations, fetal respiratory movements or contractions were found without fetal body movements. 4% of the fetal heart rate accelerations occurred without sonographically or topographically recognizable cause. In all ultrasonographically recognized fetal movements of the body and/or the extremities the fetal heart rate accelerations occurred in 28% of the cases. The most frequent findings were movements of the fetal body with or without movements of the fetal extremities in 48% of the fetal heart rate accelerations. In isolated movements of the fetal extremeties the fetal heart rate was only accelerated in 11% of the cases.