Abstract
In three studies, human fetal sensory sensitivity was examined using three different vibroacoustic transducers including an artificial larynx (AL), a plastic-(M1) and a rubber-headed (M2) body massager. Forty-four term fetuses received blocks of stimulus/control trials intermixed and randomly presented. AL and M1 provoked generalized activation and elicited fetal heart rate accelerations (averaging 26 and 22 BPM, respectively) on the first stimulus trial. The magnitude of the FHR response elicited by AL was sustained over three trials while that to M1 declined. Contrary to expectations, M2 failed to elicit heart rate accelerations and body movements. However, lowering the power of M2 resulted in a small decrease in both heart rate and movement. Thus, vibroacoustic transducers may elicit either generalized activition or quieting in the term fetus. The direction of the response appears to depend upon subtle differences in stimulus intensity and spectral characteristics.
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