The effect of maternal administration of ephedrine on fetal heart rate and variability

Ephedrine is the most popular vasopressor used in obstetrics to prevent or treat spinal or epidural hypotension. Fetal heart rate (FHR) changes during epidural anesthesia were studied in 71 patients; it was found that ephedrine administration (57 patients) was associated with significant increases in FHR and beat-to-beat variability. These changes were dose related and were not associated with fetal asphyxia as judged by measurement of fetal scalp blood pH or Apgar scores.