OBJECTIVE: Non-invasive spectral analysis of fetal heart rate variability is a promising new field of fetal monitoring. To validate this method properly, we studied the relationship between gestational age and the influence of fetal rest-activity state on spectral estimates of fetal heart rate variability. DESIGN: Prospective longitudinal study. SETTING: Tertiary care teaching hospital. POPULATION: Forty healthy women with an uneventful singleton pregnancy. METHODS: Non-invasive fetal electrocardiogram measurements via the maternal abdomen were performed at regular intervals between 14 and 40 weeks of gestation and processed to detect beat-to-beat fetal heart rate. Simultaneous ultrasound recordings were performed to assess fetal rest-activity state. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Absolute and normalized power of fetal heart rate variability in the low (0.04-0.15 Hz) and high (0.4-1.5 Hz) frequency band were obtained, using Fourier Transform. RESULTS: 14% of all measurements and 3% of the total amount of abdominal data (330 segments) was usable for spectral analysis. During 21-30 weeks of gestation, a significant increase in absolute low and high frequency power was observed. During the active state near term, absolute and normalized low frequency power were significantly higher and normalized high frequency power was significantly lower compared with the quiet state. CONCLUSIONS: The observed increase in absolute spectral estimates in preterm fetuses was probably due to increased sympathetic and parasympathetic modulation and might be a sign of autonomic development. Further improvements in signal processing are needed before this new method of fetal monitoring can be introduced in clinical practice.
OBJECTIVE: Non-invasive spectral analysis of fetal heart rate variability is a promising new field of fetal monitoring. To validate this method properly, we studied the relationship between gestational age and the influence of fetal rest-activity state on spectral estimates of fetal heart rate variability. DESIGN: Prospective longitudinal study. SETTING: Tertiary care teaching hospital. POPULATION: Forty healthy women with an uneventful singleton pregnancy. METHODS: Non-invasive fetal electrocardiogram measurements via the maternal abdomen were performed at regular intervals between 14 and 40 weeks of gestation and processed to detect beat-to-beat fetal heart rate. Simultaneous ultrasound recordings were performed to assess fetal rest-activity state. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Absolute and normalized power of fetal heart rate variability in the low (0.04-0.15 Hz) and high (0.4-1.5 Hz) frequency band were obtained, using Fourier Transform. RESULTS: 14% of all measurements and 3% of the total amount of abdominal data (330 segments) was usable for spectral analysis. During 21-30 weeks of gestation, a significant increase in absolute low and high frequency power was observed. During the active state near term, absolute and normalized low frequency power were significantly higher and normalized high frequency power was significantly lower compared with the quiet state. CONCLUSIONS: The observed increase in absolute spectral estimates in preterm fetuses was probably due to increased sympathetic and parasympathetic modulation and might be a sign of autonomic development. Further improvements in signal processing are needed before this new method of fetal monitoring can be introduced in clinical practice.
Authors: Dirk Hoyer; Jan Żebrowski; Dirk Cysarz; Hernâni Gonçalves; Adelina Pytlik; Célia Amorim-Costa; João Bernardes; Diogo Ayres-de-Campos; Otto W Witte; Ekkehard Schleußner; Lisa Stroux; Christopher Redman; Antoniya Georgieva; Stephen Payne; Gari Clifford; Maria G Signorini; Giovanni Magenes; Fernando Andreotti; Hagen Malberg; Sebastian Zaunseder; Igor Lakhno; Uwe Schneider Journal: Physiol Meas Date: 2017-02-10 Impact factor: 2.833
Authors: Kim M J Verdurmen; Carlijn Lempersz; Rik Vullings; Christian Schroer; Tammo Delhaas; Judith O E H van Laar; S Guid Oei Journal: BMC Pregnancy Childbirth Date: 2016-08-17 Impact factor: 3.007
Authors: Rik Vullings; Kim M J Verdurmen; Alexandra D J Hulsenboom; Stephanie Scheffer; Hinke de Lau; Anneke Kwee; Pieter F F Wijn; Isis Amer-Wåhlin; Judith O E H van Laar; S Guid Oei Journal: PLoS One Date: 2017-04-14 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Paul Hamelmann; Massimo Mischi; Alexander F Kolen; Judith O E H van Laar; Rik Vullings; Jan W M Bergmans Journal: Sensors (Basel) Date: 2019-03-08 Impact factor: 3.576
Authors: Maria Romano; Luigi Iuppariello; Alfonso Maria Ponsiglione; Giovanni Improta; Paolo Bifulco; Mario Cesarelli Journal: Comput Math Methods Med Date: 2016-04-18 Impact factor: 2.238