Longitudinal study of fetal breathing movements and their place in the assessment of fetal wellbeing
Longitudinal study of fetal breathing movements and their place in the assessment of fetal wellbeing
The piinwipal part of this study comprises serial recordings,using sonar, in 18 normal human subjects between 30 and 40 weeks gestation. These have shown that the mean proportion of time during which Fetal Breathing Movements (FBM) are present does not change with advancing gestational length. When related to the number of weeks before delivery FBM rise progressively until a maximum is reached three weeks prior to delivery. A fall in amount precedes parturition. The amount of fetal apnoea (intervals of a duration greater than six_ seconds) has an inverse relationship to the amount of FBM. These changes which are statistically significant may reflect the fetal endocrine changes that culminate in labour. The amount of gross fetal movement is constant between 30 and 35 weeks gestational length. After 35 weeks there is a decline until delivery.There is a fall in the mean number of intervals of apnoea of three to five seconds duration (short apnoeic intervals) between 30 'and 37 weeks. The number of such intervals rises between 37 and 40 weeks. These changes are statistically significant. A similar trend is apparent when related to time until delivery. The recording of FBM to assess fetal wellbeing is considered. Comparison is made with maternal plasma human placental lactogen (HPL) and total estriol (TE) concentrations. In normal pregnancies there is no significant correlation between HPL, TE and FBM. Seven infants with a birth weight below the 10th centile (weight for gestational length) had FBM recorded and HPL and TE measured. The levels of FBM were normally distributed around the mean normal pregnancy levels, and around the minus one standard deviation (-1SD) and minus two standard deviation (-2SD) confidence limits. The proportion of TE concentrations below the mean level was increased. The proportion of HPL levels below the -15D and -25D limits was increased. The significance of these findings is discussed.
University of Southampton
1977
Miller, John Franklin
(1977)
Longitudinal study of fetal breathing movements and their place in the assessment of fetal wellbeing.
University of Southampton, Doctoral Thesis.
Record type:
Thesis
(Doctoral)
Abstract
The piinwipal part of this study comprises serial recordings,using sonar, in 18 normal human subjects between 30 and 40 weeks gestation. These have shown that the mean proportion of time during which Fetal Breathing Movements (FBM) are present does not change with advancing gestational length. When related to the number of weeks before delivery FBM rise progressively until a maximum is reached three weeks prior to delivery. A fall in amount precedes parturition. The amount of fetal apnoea (intervals of a duration greater than six_ seconds) has an inverse relationship to the amount of FBM. These changes which are statistically significant may reflect the fetal endocrine changes that culminate in labour. The amount of gross fetal movement is constant between 30 and 35 weeks gestational length. After 35 weeks there is a decline until delivery.There is a fall in the mean number of intervals of apnoea of three to five seconds duration (short apnoeic intervals) between 30 'and 37 weeks. The number of such intervals rises between 37 and 40 weeks. These changes are statistically significant. A similar trend is apparent when related to time until delivery. The recording of FBM to assess fetal wellbeing is considered. Comparison is made with maternal plasma human placental lactogen (HPL) and total estriol (TE) concentrations. In normal pregnancies there is no significant correlation between HPL, TE and FBM. Seven infants with a birth weight below the 10th centile (weight for gestational length) had FBM recorded and HPL and TE measured. The levels of FBM were normally distributed around the mean normal pregnancy levels, and around the minus one standard deviation (-1SD) and minus two standard deviation (-2SD) confidence limits. The proportion of TE concentrations below the mean level was increased. The proportion of HPL levels below the -15D and -25D limits was increased. The significance of these findings is discussed.
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Published date: 1977
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Local EPrints ID: 458665
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/458665
PURE UUID: 99b10acb-3f60-41f3-9642-06d336e9eec3
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Date deposited: 04 Jul 2022 16:53
Last modified: 04 Jul 2022 16:53
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Author:
John Franklin Miller
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