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Fetal hiccups; characteristics and relation to fetal heart rate
E E van Woerden1, H P van Geijn, F J Caron
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Academic Hospital, Free University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
In 35 two-hour recordings of fetal heart rate and fetal movements, 14 periods of fetal hiccups were present (1.2% of the recording time) with a median duration of 3.5 min (range 1 to 8 min). No specific relation to behavioural states or movement patterns could be identified. The hiccupping frequency varied from 10 to 21 per min. Within a hiccupping spell, the mean frequency decreased from 20 +/- 11 to 12 +/- 6.2 per min. A small but evident increase in baseline frequency was present during the hiccupping spells, independent from other movements performed by the fetus.