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Antepartum vibroacoustic stimulation in patients with low fetal heart rate variability
1University Hospital Rudolf Virchow, Berlin, Germany.
Objective:
The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of vibroacoustic stimulation during low fetal heart rate (FHR) variability.
Methods:
FHR was analyzed 30 min before and 30 min after computerized vibroacoustic stimulation using the Oxford Sonicaid system 8000. The study comprised 32 healthy pregnant women with low antepartum FHR variability. The significance of difference of the median values was examined using Wilcoxon's matched-pairs signed-ranks test.
Results:
Vibroacoustic stimulation of the fetus during low FHR variability evoked a significant increase in the number of accelerations (> 10 bpm) and an increase in long- and short-term variation.
Conclusion:
Our findings indicate that vibroacoustic stimulation during low FHR variability produces an abrupt change from a quiet to an active fetal state.