Fetal Heart Research Articles

The influence of pregnant women's anxiety levels on fetal well-being and pregnancy complications: A cross-sectional study in Lombok, Indonesia

Pregnant women are a vulnerable group who are at risk of experiencing physiological changes that result in a partial decrease in immunity. Pregnancy with anxiety for pregnant women, which can affect maternal health, hinder development, cause emotional disturbances at birth, and even result in pregnancy complications. This type of research is observational-analytic with a cross-sectional design from January to June 2021. The population in this study is all third-trimester pregnant women at the Mataram City Regional Health Center and West Lombok Regency. There were 228 respondents in the study, taken using the accidental sampling technique. Data collection was carried out by accessing medical record data and filling out questionnaires for pregnant women who underwent examinations. The results of the chi square test showed that there was a relationship between anxiety and pregnancy complications with a p value of 0.0000 (p < 0.05) and a relationship between anxiety and fetal heart rate with a p value of 0.007 (p < 0.05). The ANOVA test results also showed that there was a simultaneous influence of fetal heart rate and pregnancy complications on anxiety in pregnant women, with a significance value of 0.0000 (p < 0.05) and an effect size of 74.6%. This research shows that early detection and management of anxiety during pregnancy is very necessary to prevent and minimize the occurrence of pregnancy complications and disruption of fetal well-being, which is characterized by an abnormal fetal heart rate.

Study on Fetal and Maternal Outcome of Postdated Pregnancy

Postdated pregnancy is not so uncommon in obstetric practice. When a pregnancy crosses the expected date of delivery (beyond 280 days) it is called postdated pregnancy. The incidence is about 7% of all pregnancies. This prospective observational study was carried out in 165 postdated pregnancies admitted in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, during a period of 3 years from January 2021 to December 2023 . Majority of the patients were below 25 years of age (47.88%) and primigravida (41.82%). Most of the patients belonged to rural areas (55.75%) and were middle socio-economic status group (45.45%). The majority of these postdated women were delivered by NVD (52.12%), followed by LSCS (32.72%) and instrumental (15.15%). Postdated pregnancy was associated with perinatal complications like meconium aspiration syndrome, oligohydramnios, fetal birth injuries, septicemia, shoulder dystocia, non-reassuring fetal heart rate status, fetal distress in labour. There was an increased risk of maternal complications like increased caesarean section rate, post-partum hemorrhage (PPH) ,cervical tear, perineal tear. Management of postdated pregnancy is challenging. Careful advice and timely interventions can reduce fetomaternal complications. EWMCJ Vol. 12, No. 1&2, January-July 2024: 94-98

Autologous Blood Donation and Transfusion in Patients with Placental Malposition: A Single-Institution Pilot Study and Systematic Literature Review

Background: Autologous blood donation for placental malposition is common in Japan, but no studies have scientifically evaluated its usefulness. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the necessity for autologous blood donation for placental malposition. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted of patients who underwent autologous blood donation for placental malposition at Kindai University Hospital from 2012 to 2022. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients who were able to avoid allogeneic blood transfusion by autologous blood transfusion; secondary outcomes were autologous blood disposal rate, allogeneic blood transfusion rate, and complications of autologous blood donation and allogeneic blood transfusion. A systematic review of studies on autologous blood transfusion for placental malposition was conducted on PubMed. Results: Fifty-two patients (total placenta previa 16; marginal placenta previa 20; low-lying placenta 16) were included. Eight (15%) had complications at the time of autologous blood donation, including non-reassuring fetal heart rate, but no sequelae. Allogeneic blood transfusion was avoided by autologous blood transfusion in only five cases (9.6%). Autologous blood was discarded in nine cases (17%), seven of which had a low-lying placenta positioned normally at delivery. Allogeneic blood transfusion was performed in eight cases (15%) with no complications. In the systematic review, seven articles that met the inclusion criteria were selected for further evaluation. The results showed that there were no publications that scientifically demonstrated the benefit of autologous blood transfusion. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that autologous blood donation for placental malposition has little benefit.

A systematic catalog of studies on fetal heart rate pattern and neonatal outcome variables.

To study the methodology and results of studies assessing the relationship between fetal heart rate and specified neonatal outcomes including, heart rate, infection, necrotizing enterocolitis, intraventricular hemorrhage, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, and seizure. Embase, Medline ALL, Web of Science Core Collection, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and CINAHL were searched from inception to October 5, 2023. Forty-two studies were included, encompassing 57,232 cases that underwent fetal monitoring and were evaluated for neonatal outcome. Heterogeneity was observed in the timing and duration of fetal heart rate assessment, classification guidelines used, number of assessors, and definition and timing of neonatal outcome assessment. Nonreassuring fetal heart rate was linked to lower neonatal heart rate variability. A significant increase in abnormal fetal heart rate patterns were reported in neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, but the predictive ability was found to be limited. Conflicting results were reported regarding sepsis, seizure and intraventricular hemorrhage. No association was found between necrotizing enterocolitis rate and fetal heart rate. There is great heterogeneity in the methodology used in studies evaluating the association between fetal heart rate and aforementioned neonatal outcomes. Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy was associated with increased abnormal fetal heart rate patterns, although the predictive ability was low. Further research on developing and evaluating an automated early warning system that integrates computerized cardiotocography with a perinatal health parameter database to provide objective alerts for patients at-risk is recommended.

Di-(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate Exposure Induces Developmental Toxicity in the Mouse Fetal Heart via Mitochondrial Dysfunction.

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a major cause of infant mortality and morbidity, with growing interest in the role of environmental factors in its etiology. Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), an environmental endocrine disruptor, has been implicated in the development of CHD. This study aimed to investigate the effects of DEHP exposure on fetal heart development in mice. Pregnant mice exposed to DEHP exhibited increased fetal malformations, decreased fetal weight, and reduced crown-rump length.f Transcriptomic analysis revealed the downregulation of genes involved in aerobic respiration and mitochondrial ATP synthesis. Functional assays demonstrated reduced mitochondrial respiration, decreased ATP production, elevated reactive oxygen species levels, and lowered mitochondrial membrane potential in DEHP-exposed fetal cardiomyocytes. These findings underscore the detrimental effects of DEHP on fetal cardiac health and provide insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying DEHP-induced CHD. Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for developing preventive strategies against environmental toxicants that affect fetal cardiac development.

Pathological fetal heart rate tracing patterns and neonatal outcomes among parturients beyond 32weeks of gestation: a prospective observational study.

Distinct clinical phenotypes of pathological fetal heart rate (FHR) tracings may affect neonatal outcomes differently. This study aimed to determine and differentiate neonatal outcomes amongst the clinical phenotypes of pathological FHR tracing. This prospective observational study included women in labour with pathological fetal heart rate tracing during delivery. Pathological fetal heart rate tracings were characterized into 11 clinical phenotypes and corresponding neonatal and maternal outcomes were recorded. Neonates and mothers were followed till discharge from the hospital. The primary outcome was a 5-min Apgar score. The secondary outcomes were NICU admission, mode of delivery, mode of anesthesia, neonatal morbidity and mortality. 271 women with pathological fetal heart rate tracing at the time of delivery were included in the study. Most of the women (64%) underwent cesarean delivery. The most common pathological fetal heart rate tracing was repetitive late decelerations (24.7%), followed by reduced variability with repetitive variable decelerations (24.4%). The 5-min Apgar score was comparable across all clinical phenotypes of pathological fetal heart rate tracing. Tachycardia with reduced variability was associated with a significantly higher likelihood of NICU admission (aOR 5.03, 95% CI 1.32-19.27, p = 0.018). Reduced variability, repetitive late decelerations and the combination of repetitive late decelerations with prolonged decelerations and reduced variability showed moderately increased odds of NICU admission. The 5-min Apgar score remained comparable in all clinical phenotypes of pathological fetal heart rate tracing. Nonetheless, the odds of NICU admission were significantly higher in women with tachycardia and reduced variability.

Dynamic sequential cross-sectional scanning increases detection rate of congenital heart disease in sonographers: a prenatal ultrasound training program

BackgroundPrenatal ultrasound is the preferred modality for diagnosing fetal congenital heart disease. Given issues of physician proficiency and hospital distribution, we propose a dynamic sequential cross-sectional scanning (SCS) to explore the feasibility of cardiac screening by sonographers with less than 5 years of experience in ultrasound.Materials and methodsTwenty residents were randomly divided into two groups, receiving training in the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM) fetal echocardiography and the SCS method. According to the needs of training, the professional staff developed the theoretical knowledge question bank, the CHD ultrasonic video disease bank, and the assessment scale. Trainees completed the pre-training examination, theory and skill operation training, and post-training assessment. For the two groups, the theoretical knowledge, skill operation and disease diagnosis were analyzed statistically before and after training.ResultsAfter training, the trainees in both groups had significantly improved knowledge and diagnostic abilities, their diagnostic thinking about CHD was clear, and they could identify major or even all structural abnormalities and make a definite diagnosis. In terms of skill operation, both groups could complete all required scanning within the specified time. The scanning time of the SCS group was significantly lower than that of the AIUM group, and the effect of the receptor site in the AIUM group was significantly higher than that in the SCS group.ConclusionSCS can be used as a new rapid fetal cardiac scanning method and try to popularize among echocardiographer.

Chris Redman: professor of obstetric medicine whose fetal heart monitoring system has saved thousands of lives

Chris Redman: professor of obstetric medicine whose fetal heart monitoring system has saved thousands of lives

Reference Ranges and Z-Score Equations for 19 Fetal Cardiac Biometry Structures From 18 to 34 Weeks' Gestation.

To determine equations for calculating the Z-scores of fetal cardiac structures between 18+0 and 34+6 weeks of gestation, create percentile reference tables and curves for the structures, and assess the intra- and inter-observer reproducibility of the measurements. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 340 normal fetuses from singleton pregnancies between 18 and 34 weeks of gestational age (GA). Nineteen cardiac structures were evaluated: diameters of the mitral, tricuspid, aortic, and pulmonary valve annuli; length, diameter, and area of the left and right ventricles; cardiac area and circumference; and diameters of the ascending aorta, aortic isthmus, main pulmonary artery, right pulmonary artery, left pulmonary artery, and ductus arteriosus. Regression analysis was performed to determine the equations for the mean and standard deviation of all structures using GA, biparietal diameter (BPD), and femur length (FL) as independent variables. All equations had high coefficients of determination (R2). The best performance was achieved using the GA (R2 .819-.944), followed by FL (R2 .813-.937) and BPD (R2 .792-.934). The structure that demonstrated the highest R2 was the cardiac circumference and the smallest was the ductus arteriosus. Reference tables of percentiles 1, 5, 10, 50, 90, 95, and 99, and reference curves of Z-scores were created for all 19 cardiac structures, depending on the GA. All measurements demonstrated good and excellent reproducibility with an inter-observer intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.774-0.972 and intra-observer ICC of 0.938-0.993. Equations were produced to calculate Z-scores as well as percentile tables and curves for 19 fetal heart structures. All the measurements demonstrated good reproducibility.

Embryonic and Fetal Heart Development Before 12 Weeks of Gestation.

To assess embryonic and fetal cardiac growth and development using transvaginal 2-dimensional sonography before 12 weeks of gestation. Transvaginal scans for first-trimester dating were performed for 131 normal fetuses at 8-11 + 6 weeks of gestation. The basal-apical length (BAL), transverse length (TL), cardiac circumference (ECC), embryonic cardiac area (ECA), global sphericity index (GSI), and cardio-thoracic area ratio (CTAR) were able to be obtained in 105 normal embryos and fetuses. Nomograms for several cardiac parameters including BAL, TL, ECC, ECA, GSI, and CTAR were constructed. BAL, TL, ECC, and ECA increased curvilinearly with advancing gestation (R2 = 0.97406, 0.980396, 0.978359, and 0.920705, respectively, P < .001). GSI (mean, 1.14; SD, 0.10) and CTAR (mean, 15.7%; SD, 3.3%) values were constant at 8-11 + 6 weeks of gestation. There were significant curvilinear correlations between BAL, TL, ECC, and ECA, and crown-rump length (CRL) (R2 = 0.975976, 0.983482, 0.980673, and 0.929936, respectively, P < .001). GSI and CTAR values were not changed with the increase of CRL during this period. Our results provide nomograms for several cardiac parameters which may improve the understanding of embryonic and fetal cardiac growth and development prior to 12 weeks of gestation.

Study Effect of Esomeprazole on the Treatment of Preeclampsia in Pregnant Women: A Double-Blind Clinical Trial Study

Background: Preeclampsia is one of the most serious complications of pregnancy, leading to various maternal and fetal complications. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the effect of oral esomeprazole in the treatment of preeclampsia in pregnant mothers. Methods: In this double-blind clinical trial, we compared oral esomeprazole with a placebo. The study population included 120 pregnant women with preeclampsia (60 in the esomeprazole 40 mg group and 60 in the placebo group) who were referred to Ba'ath Hospital in Sanandaj in 2023. Patient care and follow-up were conducted from the time of diagnosis of preeclampsia and inclusion in the study groups until delivery and the final condition of the baby. The outcomes investigated included prolongation of pregnancy and maternal, fetal, and neonatal outcomes. Results: The average delivery time in the esomeprazole group was 37.3 ± 1.2 weeks, compared to 37.5 ± 1.7 weeks in the placebo group, with no statistically significant difference (P = 0.75). The frequency of maternal outcomes, such as eclampsia, pulmonary edema, hemolysis, placental abruption, renal failure, hepatic hematoma, ascites, thromboembolism, and maternal death, was not statistically different between the esomeprazole and placebo groups, and no severe complications were observed in either group. Similarly, fetal outcomes, including intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and changes in fetal heart rate patterns, did not significantly differ between groups, with no instances of fetal or neonatal death observed. Additionally, neonatal outcomes, such as Apgar scores below 7, NICU admissions, mechanical ventilation, and other severe neonatal complications, were not significantly different between the two groups (P &gt; 0.05). Although the esomeprazole group showed a lower frequency of adverse maternal, fetal, and neonatal outcomes compared to the placebo group, these differences were not statistically significant. Conclusions: The frequency of adverse maternal, fetal, and neonatal outcomes was lower in the esomeprazole group than in the placebo group for most variables, but the differences were not statistically significant. Therefore, it cannot be concluded with certainty that esomeprazole is ineffective in preventing or controlling preeclampsia.

Cryodehydration applied to bovine fetal hearts: A model for studying cardiac organogenesis.

The study aimed to standardize the cryodehydration technique for bovine fetal hearts, focusing on optimizing protocols for each developmental stage to preserve morphological characteristics. We analyzed 29 bovine fetal hearts categorized into early, middle, and late developmental stages. These hearts underwent cryodehydration until a 60%-70% reduction in original fluid volume was achieved. Biometric data were recorded and statistically analyzed using Pearson correlation tests for age versus weight and age versus number of cryodehydration sessions. Morphometric comparisons before and after cryodehydration were performed using paired t-tests. In Group I, hearts exhibited well-defined structures, including the atrium cordis, ventriculus cordis, auricula atrii, aorta, truncus pulmonalis, and ramus coronaries arteria, which were preserved in Groups II and III. Additionally, in Group I the heart had a conical or flat apex cordis, whereas those in Groups II and III had a more pronounced apex. The average number of cryodehydration sessions required was 9.38 (±1.2) days for Group I, 12.37 (±1.4) days for Group II, and 15 days for Group III. A positive correlation was found between age and sample weight, indicating that more developed hearts were heavier. Similarly, there was a positive correlation between gestational age and the number of cryodehydration sessions, suggesting that more advanced stages required more cryodehydration sessions. Paired t-tests demonstrated high statistical significance in the morphometric parameters before and after cryodehydration, indicating a loss of mass during dehydration. However, there was no alteration in the macroscopic structure of the hearts, which remained morphologically preserved. In conclusion, cryodehydration shows promise for preserving and analyzing the external morphological characteristics of bovine fetal cardiac development. It also provides lightweight, odorless, and easy-to-handle specimens ideal for detailed morphological studies and offers a unique perspective for investigating cardiac morphology in biological research contexts.

Neonatal Alloimmune Thrombocytopenia with HLA and HPA-3a Antibodies in a Down Syndrome Neonate

Abstract Introduction/Objective Neonatal Alloimmune Thrombocytopenia (NAIT) is a rare cause of thrombocytopenia seen in 1 in 11,000 neonates with lethal risks such as intracranial hemorrhage. This is caused by maternal antibodies against fetal platelets and the most common culprits are antibodies to Human Platelet Antigen-1b (HPA-1b) but rarely to Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) antibodies. We describe a rare case of a newborn with Down syndrome with maternal antibodies against HLA and presumed antibodies against HPA-3a. Down syndrome causes hematologic abnormalities with mild thrombocytopenia. Methods/Case Report A preterm male with Down syndrome was born via Cesarean delivery due to non-reassuring fetal heart tracing at a gestational age of 35 weeks. He was admitted for low birth weight and his hospital course was complicated by severe thrombocytopenia of 37 x 10^9/L without bleeding symptoms. Initially attributed to his trisomy 21 but due to his suboptimal response to platelet transfusion, NAIT was suspected. The mother had antibodies against HLA on initial screen and was presumed to have HPA-3a antibodies since she was homozygous for HPA-3b antigen. The neonate was managed with multiple transfusions of platelets and Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG). The platelet count stabilized to 325 x 10^9/L on his 25th day of life. Results (if a Case Study enter NA) n/a Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the only published case of NAIT with both HPA-3a and HLA antibodies in a Down syndrome neonate. It is unclear whether the primary reason for thrombocytopenia is due to NAIT caused by HPA-3a antibodies or HLA antibodies or his existing Down syndrome. This case contributes to understanding the complexity between immune-related diseases such as NAIT and genetic conditions such as Down syndrome. Although NAIT occurs rarely, timely diagnosis and treatment is of utmost importance to prevent lethal complications.

Assessment of fetal cardiac function in pregnant women with anemia: prospective case-control study.

To compare fetal cardiac function in pregnant women with iron deficiency anemia (IDA) vs healthy pregnant controls. This was a single-center, prospective, case-control study conducted in a tertiary hospital between November 2022 and September 2023. Women diagnosed with IDA who attended as outpatients at the pregnancy follow-up clinic at 30-34 weeks' gestation or who were hospitalized for intravenous iron treatment owing to profound anemia were included. The control group consisted of randomly selected gestational-age-matched pregnant women with no obstetric complications or comorbidities and who did not have anemia. Patients underwent two-dimensional imaging, followed by pulsed-wave Doppler and M-mode and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) to evaluate fetal cardiac function. A fetal cardiac score was calculated using systolic, diastolic and global hemodynamic function parameters, and was compared between patients with IDA and those without. The fetal cardiac score was also assessed according to the severity of anemia in the IDA group. A total of 150 patients, comprising 50 patients with IDA and 100 healthy pregnant women at 30-34 weeks' gestation, were included in the study. Of the patients with IDA, 20 had mild, 18 had moderate and 12 had severe anemia. The fetal myocardial performance index and isovolumetric relaxation time were significantly higher in the IDA group compared with the control group (P < 0.0001 for both), while isovolumetric contraction time was similar. Among the fetal tricuspid and mitral valve diastolic parameters, the E, A and E/A values were significantly lower in the IDA group (P < 0.05 for all). Mitral (MAPSE) and tricuspid (TAPSE) annular plane systolic excursions were significantly lower in the IDA group (P < 0.05 for both). The IDA group also had significantly lower values for the TDI parameters mitral and tricuspid E', A', S' and E'/A' ratio and a significantly higher E/E' ratio (P < 0.05 for all). Among the IDA subgroups, a significant decrease was observed in the tricuspid and mitral A, E and E/A ratio in fetuses whose mothers had severe anemia (P = 0.001). M-mode Doppler analysis revealed significantly lower fetal TAPSE and MAPSE in the patient group with severe maternal anemia (P = 0.001 for both). According to the subgroup comparison of TDI findings, the fetuses of mothers with severe anemia had significantly lower tricuspid and mitral E', A', S' and E'/A' ratio values and a significantly higher E/E' ratio (P < 0.05 for all). The fetal cardiac score was significantly higher in the maternal IDA group compared with the control group (P < 0.001). A significant negative correlation was found between maternal hemoglobin level and fetal cardiac score (P < 0.001). We observed differences in fetal systolic and diastolic cardiac function in pregnancies with maternal IDA. Fetal cardiac function was affected more among patients with severe anemia. This study found an increased E/E' ratio in the fetuses of pregnant women with IDA, suggesting decreased fetal heart maturation. Prenatal fetal cardiac evaluation, especially in women with severe anemia, can facilitate a more seamless transition to the postnatal period for these newborns. © 2024 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Incidence and Outcomes of Pregnant Trauma Patients With Positive Urine Toxicology: A Southern California Multicenter Study.

Background: The use of illicit substances during pregnancy has increased 4-fold in the past two decades, negatively impacting both mother and fetus. The rate and clinical outcomes of substance use in pregnant trauma patients (PTPs) are not well studied. We sought to evaluate clinical outcomes of PTPs with positive urine toxicology, hypothesizing a higher rate of in-hospital maternal complications for PTPs with a positive urine toxicology ((+)Utox) compared to those testing negative ((-)Utox). Methods: PTPs (≥18years old) were included in this multicenter retrospective study between 2016 and 2021. We included patients with known urine toxicology results and compared (+)Utox vs (-)Utox PTPs. Results: From 852 PTPs, 84 (9.8%) had a (+)Utox with the most common illicit substance being THC (57%) followed by methamphetamine (44%). (+)Utox PTPs had higher rates of blunt head injury (9.5% vs 4.2%, P = .028), extremity injury (14.3% vs 6.5%, P = .009), domestic violence (21.4% vs 5.9%, P < .001), suicide attempt (3.6% vs 0.3%, P < .001), and uterine contractions (46% vs 23.5%, P < .001). Abnormal fetal heart tracing, premature rupture of membranes and placental injury were similar between groups (all P > .05). The rate of maternal complications was similar in both groups (all P > .05). Conclusion: In this study, the rate of (+)Utox in PTPs was 9.8%. The (+)Utox group had similar rates of maternal complications but more commonly experienced uterine contractions which may be related to the physiology of drugs such as methamphetamines. PTPs with (+)Utox also more commonly were victims of domestic violence and suicide attempt, which merits further prevention research efforts.

Impact of early detection and steroid treatment on fetal ventricular heart rate and pacemaker implantation in anti-Ro/SSA positive congenital heart block.

We investigated the effects of timing of detection and transplacental fluorinated steroid treatment on ventricular heart rate (HR) and age at pacemaker implantation in fetal third-degree atrioventricular block (AVB). Twenty-five of 31 fetuses diagnosed with Ro/SSA autoantibody-positive AVB II-III at our tertiary fetal cardiology center (2000-2020) and AVB III as final feto-neonatal outcome were reviewed. AVB was detected approximately 5 weeks earlier in pregnancy if followed in a surveillance program compared to cases referred from primary care for bradycardia (20.6 [2.3] [mean (SD)] vs. 25.4 [3.2] weeks, p = 0.001). AVB detected before 24 weeks had higher HR than those detected later in gestation (63.3 [6.9] vs. 57.2 [6.9] bpm, p = 0.042), with a larger proportion having HR >60 bpm (80% vs. 33%, p = 0.041). The 17/25 cases that received treatment with fluorinated steroid were diagnosed earlier in gestation, with higher HR at diagnosis (61.7 [7.1] vs. 54.7 [6.3] bpm, p = 0.026), 1-2 weeks after diagnosis/treatment start, and before birth (65.4 [12.4] vs. 54.9 [5.7] bpm, p = 0.030) than untreated cases. Overall, 11 cases were commenced on betamimetics: three at diagnosis and eight at or after the examination made 1-2 weeks after diagnosis/treatment start, without any HR improvement. Two of 24 surviving babies were born preterm, and 4/24 received a neonatal pacemaker. Age at pacemaker implantation correlated significantly with HR before birth (Spearman R 0.57, p = 0.004), and fetuses with HR >60 bpm had a higher rate of pacemaker-free survival at three (90% vs. 40%, p = 0.018) and 12 months of age (80% vs. 13%, p = 0.002). The same trend was observed in pacemaker-free survival at 3 months of age in fluorinated steroid-treated compared to untreated cases (71% vs. 38%, ns). Our data confirm that AVB III detected earlier in gestation have a higher HR, and suggest that this higher HR can be successfully maintained to the end of gestation in cases treated with fluorinated steroids. Fetuses with HR >60 bpm before birth had a lower rate of pacemaker implantation at 3 and 12 months of age.

Anesthetic and obstetric predictors of general anesthesia in urgent or emergent Cesarean delivery: a retrospective case-control study.

While regional anesthesia (RA) is considered preferable to general anesthesia (GA) for Cesarean delivery (CD), certain situations necessitate GA. This study reviewed the practice patterns around the use of GA for CD to identify modifiable predictors of GA with the goal of reducing GA rates. This was a retrospective, case-control study. Patients undergoing urgent/emergent CD over a 3-year period were identified, from which 102 patients undergoing GA and 102 patients undergoing RA were randomly selected. The data included patient characteristics, obstetrical indications for CD, type/indication of anesthetic, characteristics of airway management (GA group)/neuraxial anesthesia (RA group), and neonatal outcomes. Abnormal fetal heart rate (aFHR) was the most common obstetrical indication for urgent/emergent CD amongst the cases (39%) and controls (39%). GA administration was most commonly due to "limited time due to maternal/fetal compromise" (56%), followed by "maternal contraindication to RA" (25%) and "inadequate RA" (17%). The most frequent modifiable anesthetic indication for GA was inadequate neuraxial anesthesia (17%). Anesthetic and obstetric predictors for GA included ASA classification [OR 0.11 (0.06-0.21)], emergency code activation [OR 13.55 (1.73-106.40)], failure to progress [OR 0.15 ((0.06-0.36)], laborin a patient scheduled for CD [OR 0.16 (0.05-0.57)], pregnancy-related illness [OR 8.63 (1.06-70.38)], cord/fetal prolapse [14.85(1.90-115.94)], and gestational age (OR 0.86 (0.81-0.92)). Abnormal fetal heart rate, specifically bradycardia, was the most common obstetrical indication of GA for urgent/emergent CD, while inadequate neuraxial anesthesia was the most modifiable anesthetic indication. Our data suggest aFHR and cord/fetal prolapse as potentially modifiable risk factors for GA in certain situations.

Practical Evaluation of the Fetal Cardiac Function.

The fetal heart adapts dynamically to nutrient and oxygen needs from all fetal organs. These continuous changes make it difficult to define normal/abnormal cardiac function based only on the evaluation of a few cycles. Many signs of fetal cardiac dysfunction have been suggested; however, very few can stand as true manifestations of cardiac deterioration, and none has emerged as a single reliable marker of cardiac dysfunction. It is the combination of abnormal findings that provides a more accurate assessment of the status of the fetal heart function.

A Non-Invasive Fetal QRS Complex Detection Method Based on a Multi-Feature Fusion Neural Network

Fetal heart monitoring, as a crucial part of fetal monitoring, can accurately reflect the fetus’s health status in a timely manner. To address the issues of high computational cost, inability to observe fetal heart morphology, and insufficient accuracy associated with the traditional method of calculating the fetal heart rate using a four-channel maternal electrocardiogram (ECG), a method for extracting fetal QRS complexes from a single-channel non-invasive fetal ECG based on a multi-feature fusion neural network is proposed. Firstly, a signal entropy data quality detection algorithm based on the blind source separation method is designed to select maternal ECG signals that meet the quality requirements from all channel ECG data, followed by data preprocessing operations such as denoising and normalization on the signals. After being segmented by the sliding window method, the maternal ECG signals are calculated as data in four modes: time domain, frequency domain, time–frequency domain, and data eigenvalues. Finally, the deep neural network using three multi-feature fusion strategies—feature-level fusion, decision-level fusion, and model-level fusion—achieves the effect of quickly identifying fetal QRS complexes. Among the proposed networks, the one with the best performance has an accuracy of 95.85% and sensitivity of 97%.

A Pragmatic Approach to Fetal Monitoring via Cardiotocography Using Feature Elimination and Hyperparameter Optimization.

Cardiotocography (CTG) is used to assess the health of the fetus during birth or antenatally in the third trimester. It concurrently detects the maternal uterine contractions (UC) and fetal heart rate (FHR). Fetal distress, which may require therapeutic intervention, can be diagnosed using baseline FHR and its reaction to uterine contractions. Using CTG, a pragmatic machine learning strategy based on feature reduction and hyperparameter optimization was suggested in this study to classify the various fetal states (Normal, Suspect, Pathological). An application of this strategy can be a decision support tool to manage pregnancies. On a public dataset of 2126 CTG recordings, the model was assessed using various standard CTG dataset specific and relevant classifiers. The classifiers' accuracy was improved by the proposed method. The model accuracy was increased to 97.20% while using Random Forest (best classifier). Practically speaking, the model was able to correctly predict 100% of all pathological cases and 98.8% of all normal cases in the dataset. The proposed model was also implemented on another public CTG dataset having 552 CTG signals, resulting in a 97.34% accuracy. If integrated with telemedicine, this proposed model could also be used for long-distance "stay at home" fetal monitoring in high-risk pregnancies.