[A study on the integration of fetal behavior and the development of association between parameters evaluated]

To evaluate the development of the fetal behavioral state with reference to the association of the fetal parameters we selected, we simultaneously monitored fetal heart rate (FHR), fetal movement (FM), fetal eye movement (FEM) and fetal breathing movement (FBM). These various parameters were monitored with 2 ultrasonographic real time scanners and a doppler device to monitor fetal movement. We assessed the convergence and integration of these four parameters to evaluate the association rate (AR). FHR with a variation in excess of 3 min. was interpreted as the active phase (A), and reduced variation in excess of 3 min. as the inactive phase (I). When FM and FEM were observed in the 1 min. window of A, we labeled this A3, and when FBM was present in more than 10% of the 1 min. window, we labeled it A4. A3/A = AR-A3% and A4/A = AR-A4% was calculated. A similar calculation was done for I, without FM and FEM in the 1 min. window of I (I3) and when FBM was present less than 10% of 1 min. (I4), allow derivation AR-I3% and AR-I4%. A discrete separation of synchrony in A and asynchrony in I can be seen to develop as the fetus matures, and we feel that this may be a valuable tool in the evaluation of fetal central nervous system development in utero.