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The effect of epidural bupivacaine on the fetal electrocardiogram
K Phillips1, M P Umstad, J G Donnelly
1Queen Mother's Hospital, Glasgow, Scotland.
Abstract:
Fetal electrocardiogram waveform analysis was used to assess the effect of epidural bupivacaine on the fetal myocardial conducting system by evaluating its effect on the PR interval, RR interval, T/QRS ratio and the PR-RR correlation coefficient. There were no significant changes in either the PR interval or the PR-RR correlation coefficient. There was a significant increase in the fetal heart rate and a significant fall in the T/QRS ratio. Epidural bupivacaine does not alter fetal myocardial conduction as measured by the PR interval and it does not induce ischaemic cardiac changes as assessed by the T/QRS ratio.