Antenatal Fetal Assessment Flashcards
goal of evidence-based antepartum fetal evaluation?
To decrease :
●perinatal mortality
●permanent neurologic injury
Causes of still birth
Asphyxia (IUGR, prolonged gestation) =>in about 30%
Maternal complications (placental abruption, hypertension, preeclampsia, and
diabetes mellitus) => in about 30%
Congenital malformations and chromosome abnormalities => in about 15%
Infections => 5%
No obvious fetal, placental, maternal, or obstetric etiology => in about 20%
o this percentage increases with advancing gestational age
Normal fetal states
- State 1F [quite sleep state]
- State 2F [active sleep state]
- State 3F
- State 4F [awake state]
State 1F
Fetus spends 25% of its time
Narrow oscillation of FHR
Slow FHR, reduced variability
Can last 20Min
● can be affected by activity, drugs & nutritional status
State 2F
Fetus spends 60-70% of its time
Frequent gross movement.
wider oscillation of FHR,
Continuous eye movement,
Increase variability, and Increase
acceleration with FM
Can last 40min
● can be affected by activity, drugs & nutritional status
State 3F
Continues eye movement in the
absence of FM
No acceleration of FHR with
movement
Existence is questioned
State IV
Vigorous body movement
Continues eye movement
FHR acceleration and inc variability
mechanisms that control these periods of rest and activity in the fetus maybe
●mother’s activity
●her ingestion of drugs
●her nutrition
At term
fetal anomalies, particularly central nervous system (CNS) anomalies;
maternal exposures, including corticosteroids, sedatives, smoking, and anxiety;
low amniotic fluid volume; and
decreased placental blood flow due to placental insufficiency
Fetal movement
Fetal movement is a more indirect indicator of fetal oxygen status and CNS function,
and decreased fetal movement is noted in response to hypoxemia.
However, gestational development of fetal movement must be considered when
evaluating fetal well-being as marked by fetal activity.
o Periods of absent fetal movement become more prolonged as gestation
advances,
How to stimulate fetal movement
VAS [Vibro-Acoustic Stimulation]
Indications for testing
●Pregnancy related
GH / PE
Decreased fetal movement
Gestational diabetes mellitus (poorly
controlled or medically treated)
Oligohydramnios
IUGR
Late term or postterm pregnancy
Isoimmunization
Previous fetal demise (unexplained
or recurrent risk)
Monochorionic MG (with significant
growth discrepancy)
● maternal related
Pregestational DM
Hypertension
SLE
Chronic renal disease
Antiphospholipid syndrome
Hyperthyroidism (poorly controlled)
Hemoglobinopathies (sickle cell,
sickle cell– hemoglobin C, or sickle
cell–thalassemia disease)
Cyanotic heart disease
Frequency of testing
If maternal med condition is stable, & tests are reassuring
●weekly
If there is high risk condition
● more frequently
Modalities of antepartum testing
Fetal movement count
Non stress testing
Contraction stress testing
Biophysical profile
Modified biophysical profile
Doppler Velocimetry
How many percent of the times a fetus makes gross body movements in 3rd tmx and how many times /hr on average??
10% of the time
3 mvts/hr
Duration of active fetal movement
40 min
Duration of Quite periods
20 min
At what time does the fetal movement peaks❓️
9:00pm & 1:00am , a time when
maternal glucose levels are falling
The longest period without fetal movement?
75min
How many percent of the fetal movement does the mother perceives?
70-80%
Maternal factors that may influence the evaluation of fetal movement include
maternal activity
parity
obesity
medications
psychological factors including anxiety