Human fetal breathing movements after carbohydrate ingestion in fasting and nonfasting subjects

Abstract

Human fetal breathing movements were observed by means of the linear array real-time B-scan technique in 40 study sessions at 35 to 36 weeks' gestation. Fasting and nonfasting subjects received water or 75 gm of glucose orally. Fetal breathing activity, observed as movement of the chest wall, was analyzed. The data support conclusions that fetal breathing increased after maternal ingestion of glucose in both fasting and nonfasting subjects, that the absolute increases in fetal breathing were similar for fasting and nonfasting subjects, and that fetal breathing occurred more frequently in nonfasting control subjects than in fasting control subjects in the setting of the study.