Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Fetal Movement”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

Fetal heart rate accelerations, fetal movement, and fetal behavior patterns in twin gestations.

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies have shown that twins, when monitored simultaneously, show a remarkably high incidence of coincident fetal heart rate accelerations (about 58%). The current study examines synchrony of behavior patterns in twins. STUDY DESIGN: We examined 37 fetal monitor strips from 15 sets of twins with simultaneous fetal heart rate and fetal movement recorded by means of Doppler techniques (Toitu MT-430 fetal actocardiograph). The strips were analyzed for coincidence of fetal heart rate accelerations and fetal movement episodes and then conceptually for synchrony of fetal behavior patterns on the basis of descriptions of behavioral states by Prechtl. RESULTS: Thirty-six percent of fetal heart rate accelerations were found to be simultaneous. Forty-three percent of movement epochs were considered simultaneous. We found that twins exhibited synchronous behavior patterns (basically sleep or awake state) 94.7% of the time. CONCLUSION: Twin-twin interactions are more consistently related than suspected when observation is limited to heart rate alone, and the synchrony and role of fetal behavior states must be considered when twin interactions and behavior are studied.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Hypothesis: fetal movement influences fetal and infant bone strength.

Infants who present with multiple unexplained fractures in which there is no prior trauma, no radiographic evidence of metabolic bone disease, and no biochemical evidence of metabolic bone disease are almost always diagnosed as victims of child abuse, even though parents and caregivers deny wrongdoing. Such a diagnosis has far reaching implications for the infant and family. This article describes the clinical features of 65 such infants with multiple unexplained fractures in which the parents and caregivers deny wrongdoing and in which child abuse was diagnosed. These infants have the phenotype of temporary brittle bone disease that was described by Paterson. A striking observation in these young infants is the pregnancy history of decreased fetal movement. A hypothesis is suggested as an alternative explanation for the mechanism of these fractures in these infants--namely temporary brittle bone disease from fetal immobilization. This hypothesis states that fetal bone loading through fetal movement is essential for the formation of bones of normal strength. This hypothesis is an application of Frost's mechanostat/bone-loading model of bone physiology to the prenatal period of bone formation. This hypothesis explains many of the other observations about temporary brittle bone disease including the early onset of the fractures in the first several months of life, the lack of bruising, the lack of other internal organ injury, and the low risk profile of many of the parents for committing child abuse.

Bone Development↗
PubMed1997

Time quantified detection of fetal movements using a new fetal movement algorithm.

Primarily, the objective is to develop an automated ultrasound fetal movement detection system that will better characterize fetal movements. Secondarily, the objective is to develop an improved method of quantifying the performance of fetal movement detectors. We recorded 20-minute segments of fetal movement on 101 patients using a UAMS-developed fetal movement detection algorithm (Russell algorithm) and compared this to a Hewlett-Packard (HP) M-1350-A. Movements were recorded on a second-per-second basis by an expert examiner reviewing videotaped real-time ultrasound images. Videotape (86,592 seconds) was scored and compared with the electronic movement-detection systems. The Russell algorithm detected 95.53% of the discrete movements greater than 5 seconds, while the HP system (M-1350-A) detected only 86.08% of the discrete movements (p = 0.012). Both devices were less efficient at detecting the short discrete movements, obtaining sensitivities of 57.39 and 35.22, respectively. Neither system fully identifies fetal movement based on the second-per-second system. Improved methods of quantifying performance indicated that the Russell algorithm performed better than the HP on these patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Fetal movement and fetal presentation.

Fetal movements were analyzed by means of ultrasonography in an attempt to clarify the causative factor of frank breech presentation. Fetal posture, position, presentation and movements, as well as posture of the extremities and the volume of amniotic cavity were analyzed by ultrasonography in 112 fetuses ranging from 12 to 42 weeks of gestation. There existed three different fetal states: inactivity; slow sporadic movements without changes of presentations; active whole body movements with changes of presentations. It appears likely that version of fetal presentation from breech to cephalic occurs as the fetus tries to accommodate itself to the shape of the uterus during the state of active whole body movements, and the frank breech presentation of the fetus might result when the whole body movements are weak or absent.

Female↗
PubMed1994

Effect of ethanol on immature ovine fetal breathing movements, fetal prostaglandin E2, and myometrial activity.

In the mature ovine fetus, ethanol decreases fetal breathing movements (FBM), which is temporally related to increased prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) concentration, decreases blood glucose concentration, increases blood lactate concentration, and decreases uterine electromyographic (EMG) activity. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of ethanol on these variables in the immature fetal sheep. Experiments were conducted in pregnant ewes at 85-94 days of gestation (full term 147 days) that received a 1-h maternal infusion of 1 g ethanol/kg maternal body wt (n = 9) or an equivalent volume of saline (n = 5). The maximal maternal and fetal blood ethanol concentrations for the ethanol regimen were 1.305 +/- 0.165 and 1.458 +/- 0.137 mg/ml, respectively. Maternal infusion of ethanol (or saline) did not change the incidence of FBM, fetal plasma PGE2 concentration, heart rate, blood pressure, blood gases and pH, or uterine EMG activity. Ethanol decreased (P < 0.05) fetal blood glucose concentration from 1.18 +/- 0.10 to 0.87 +/- 0.07 and 0.89 +/- 0.09 mM at 1 and 3 h, respectively, but did not alter blood lactate concentration compared with saline infusion. These data support the hypothesis that the effects of ethanol on FBM, fetal plasma PGE2 and blood lactate concentrations, and uterine EMG activity are gestational age dependent.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

[Effects of acute hypoxemia on fetal movement in the fetal lamb].

Chronically instrumented pregnant models were established using 5 Dorset-Rambouillet pregnant ewes with gestational age between 120 and 138 days. Observation of fetal movements were started on the 3rd postoperative day or later when recovery from the surgery to the physiological condition was confirmed by maternal and fetal biophysical parameters. Fetal movements were observed using real-time ultrasound equipment with linear-array transducer placed on the maternal abdomen. Observation encompassed the control period which lasted one hour followed by an experimental period of fetal hypoxemia created by decreasing maternal FIO2. Observation was also continued during the recovery period when the mother was re-exposed to room air. Maternal and fetal samples were periodically obtained during these periods. Frequency of fetal movements was studied in 10 minute periods under the control and hypoxemic conditions. All fetuses exhibited movements during the control period, ranging 1-42 movements/10 minutes, the mean incidence being 16.9 movements/10 minutes. During fetal hypoxemia (average PaO2 decrease: 8.6 mmHg), fetal movements were significantly reduced to 5.5 movements/10 minutes with complete cessation in some cases. In 4 animals which exhibited complete cessation of both fetal movement (FM) and fetal breathing movement (FBM), FBM disappeared before FM, and reappearance of FM was following by FBM during recovery from hypoxemia.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Antepartum fetal heart rate monitoring. III. Fetal movements and accelerations in fetal heart rate.

This third part of the paper deals with the study of the relationships between fetal movements, fetal heart rate accelerations associated with such movements, fetal heart rate instability and neonatal outcome. No correlations has been found between absence of fetal movements and neonatal distress. A correlation has been found between the lack of fetal heart rate accelerations, the flatness of the record and poor neonatal outcome. In extreme situations (i.e. flatness in less than 10% of the record or in more than 80%) the presence or absence of accelerations does not add further useful information. Such information, however, is gained in the intermediary situations (the 'combined' recordings) and particularly when the record is between 51 and 80% flat where there appears to be an 85.6% risk to the fetus. Consequently, when trying to analyse an antenatal record it seems advisable to take primarily into account the percentage of flat recordings (providing the records are numerous enough and of sufficient length). Then, in records between 10 and 50% flat, the presence or the lack of spontaneous decelerations requires consideration whereas, when the record is between 51 and 80% flat, it is the presence or absence of fetal heart rate accelerations which is important.

Apgar Score↗
PubMed1993

Measurement of fetal movements using multichannel ultrasound pulsed Doppler: autorecognition of fetal movements by maximum entropy method.

Changes in fetal movements indicate biophysical conditions and functional development. The precise evaluation of fetal movements in clinical medicine requires the development of a continuous automated monitoring technique. A basic study of the measurement of fetal movements was carried out by modifying the Doppler ultrasound module of a cardiotocograph to produce low-frequency Doppler signals and five simultaneous outputs at various depths. These outputs represent displacement inside tissue at the various depths. Signal processing was executed on a 32-bit computer with a high-accuracy displacement estimation technique using the arctangent method. Results showed successful tracking of minute movements, such as fetal breathing movements (FBM), while rejecting other movements derived from maternal breathing etc. Using spectral analysis by the maximum entropy method (MEM), fetal movements were classified in three groups (FBM, fetal gross movements (FGM) and fetal heart movements (FHM), based on the character of their special peak frequencies. The order of movement recognition was first FGM, then FBM and lastly FHM. FBM were more successfully recognised by MEM than by conventional B-mode observation methods. Small body movements were difficult to recognise as FGM by MEM in some cases. Although further studies are required for clinical application, it appears that automated assessments of fetal movements should be possible with this technique.

Female↗
PubMed1997

Doppler velocimetry and nonstress test for predicting outcome of pregnancies with decreased fetal movements.

Because fetal motor activity reflects the fetal condition in utero, maternal counting of fetal movements has been suggested as a useful method for monitoring fetal well-being, based on empirical evidence that a decrease in or absence of fetal movements often presages fetal death. The aim of this study was to compare the predictive capacity of umbilical artery (UA) Doppler velocimetry with that of nonstress test (NST) cardiotocography in 599 women with low-risk pregnancies, reporting decreased fetal movements. In 19 cases the fetus was dead on maternal admission. Umbilical artery Doppler velocimetry and NST were performed in the remaining 580. In 541 the NST and UA velocimetry findings were reassuring, and the women were discharged. There was one perinatal death in this group, due to extreme prematurity and placental abruption 1 week later. Thirty-nine women who gave birth on the day of admission or next day were especially given closer attention. Umbilical artery velocimetry was abnormal in only one fetus. In 6 cases, the NST trace on admission indicated fetal distress, and emergency cesarean section was performed, resulting in 3 infant deaths and 3 infants with sequelae. The umbilical cord pH was normal in 3, suggesting an earlier temporary intrauterine hypoxic event. Overall perinatal mortality was thus 23 (3.8%). Decreased fetal movement perception by mothers should therefore be taken seriously, even though an irreversible insult to the fetus might already have occurred.

Abruptio Placentae↗