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Heart Rate Variability Analysis Allows Early Asphyxia Detection in Ovine Fetus

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Abstract

Fetal heart rate (FHR) monitoring is commonly used to predict asphyxia but clinical and experimental studies have questioned its diagnostic value. We examined the usefulness of fetal heart rate variability (fHRV) measures in detecting early asphyxia using chronically instrumented fetal sheep under normoxic (n = 6) and asphyxic conditions (3 umbilical cord occlusions, n = 6). The occlusions consistently led to pH decreases from 7.35 ± 0.01 to 7.09 ± 0.03 (V < .05). FHR showed biphasic deceleration during each occlusion, associated with increasing arterial blood pressure (V < .05). RMSSD, an index of vagal modulation of fHRV, increased consistently during repeated occlusion induced FHR decelerations (V < .05). Under normoxic conditions, RMSSD did not change during FHR decelerations and decreased during FHR accelerations (V < .05). Our results suggest that an increase of RMSSD in association with FHR decelerations reflects initial vagal activation during fetal asphyxia. RMSSD may accurately identify asphyxic fetuses early. Clinical validation is needed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology Institute of Laboratory Animal Science and Institute of Medical Statistics, Computer Sciences and Documentation Friedrich Schiller University, D–07740 Jena, Germany; and Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Children Health Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, 268 Grosvenor St, N6A 4V2, London, Canada

    Martin G. Frasch MD, PhD, Thomas Müller DVM, Christian Weiss MD, Karin Schwab MSc, Harald Schubert PhD & Matthias Schwab MD, PhD

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  1. Martin G. Frasch MD, PhD
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  2. Thomas Müller DVM
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  3. Christian Weiss MD
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  4. Karin Schwab MSc
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  5. Harald Schubert PhD
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  6. Matthias Schwab MD, PhD
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Correspondence to Martin G. Frasch MD, PhD.

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Frasch, M.G., Müller, T., Weiss, C. et al. Heart Rate Variability Analysis Allows Early Asphyxia Detection in Ovine Fetus. Reprod. Sci. 16, 509–517 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1177/1933719108327597

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