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Periodic fetal heart rate decelerations during 6 hours' hypoxemia induced in goats
H Sameshima1, T Ikenoue, M Kamitomo
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Miyazaki Medical College, Japan. rayjun@post1.miyazaki-med.ac.jp
Objective:
To determine if fetal heart rate (FHR) decelerations periodically occur with uterine contractures during 6 hours' induced hypoxemia in goats.
Methods:
In five chronically catheterized goat fetuses at 125-130 days' gestation, incidence of FHR decelerations was compared between 6 hours' control time and 6 hours' induced hypoxemia with two-way ANOVA and Duncan's multiple range test. Three other fetuses were used as controls for circadian rhythm.
Results:
Fetal PaO2 was significantly decreased from 26.1 to 16.3 mmHg without acidemia. During hypoxemia, 42 decelerations were induced along with 5 initial decelerations during the acute phase hypoxemia. Incidence of decelerations increased significantly from 0.07 +/- 0.15 per hour in 6-hour controls to 1.40 +/- 0.28 per hour during 6 hours' induced hypoxemia. Short-term variability and long-term variability of the 42 decelerations were significantly increased. These variabilities were also increased during the 5 initial decelerations. Frequency of uterine contractures did not change during hypoxemia. There was an observable association of FHR decelerations with uterine contractures during hypoxemia.
Conclusion:
Fetal heart rate decelerations occurred periodically in association with uterine contractures during induced 6 hours' hypoxemia, which were characterized by slow onset and recovery with increases in variability.