Foetal cardiac function in third trimester pregnancies with reduced fetal movements

Background: One of the consequences of IUGR is the development of cardiac diastolic dysfunction in fetuses. Tissue doppler in echocardiography is a new technique to detect myocardial tissue function and can act as a useful tool in the identification of this complication. Hence we decided to undertake this study to assess the utility of myocardial tissue doppler in detecting foetal cardiac dysfunction in IUGR. It was a prospective case control study in a tertiary care teaching hospital.Methods: Foetal cardiac function in the third trimester of pregnancy was evaluated with the help of myocardial tissue doppler and compared between IUGR and normal growth babies and correlated with vessel doppler findings and neonatal outcomes.Results: There were sixty two IUGR and fifty eight normal growth babies in the study. In babies with IUGR, particularly the ones with severe IUGR, abnormal vessel doppler and adverse neonatal outcomes, right ventricular MPI was found to be significantly lower. However, the variable had a poor sensitivity (40%) in detecting fetuses at risk for poor neonatal outcomes.Conclusions: Myocardial tissue doppler shows right sided cardiac dysfunction in IUGR babies in comparison to normal growth babies It is however not a sensitive indicator of adverse perinatal outcome in IUGR babies.

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PP.67 Survey of Current Management of Reduced Fetal Movements in Scotland

Archives of Disease in Childhood - Fetal and Neonatal Edition ◽

10.1136/archdischild-2013-303966.344 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 98 (Suppl 1) ◽

pp. A100.1-A100

Author(s):

O Keag ◽

J Norman ◽

C Calderwood

Keyword(s):

Current Management ◽

Reduced Fetal Movements ◽

Fetal Movements

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Impact of Covid-19 on attendances for a 1st episode of reduced fetal movements: A retrospective observational study

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0253796 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (6) ◽

pp. e0253796

Author(s):

Laia Marques-Fernandez ◽

Swati Sharma ◽

Una Mannu ◽

Hsu Phern Chong

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

Retrospective Cohort ◽

Fold Increase ◽

Stillbirth Rate ◽

Hospital Records ◽

Reduced Fetal Movements ◽

Fetal Movements ◽

Provision Of Care ◽

The Impact ◽

Primiparous Women

Background Prior studies have demonstrated an increased stillbirth rate. It was suggested that the COVID-19 pandemic may have impacted on attendances for reduced fetal movements. Thus, we sought to ascertain the impact of the pandemic on attendances for reduced fetal movements (RFM) in our unit, ultrasound provision for reduced fetal movements, and the stillbirth rate. Methods This was a single site retrospective cohort study involving all women complaining of a 1st episode of reduced fetal movements between 01/03/2020-30/04/2020 (COVID) to 01/03/2019-30/04/2019 (Pre-COVID). Data were retrieved from computerised hospital records and statistical analyses were performed using GraphPad Prism and SPSS. Results 22% (179/810) of women presented with a 1st episode of reduced fetal movements Pre-COVID compared to 18% (145/803) during COVID (p = 0.047). Primiparous women were significantly over-represented in this population with a 1.4-fold increase in attendances during COVID (67% vs 48%, p = 0.0005). Neither the total stillbirth rate nor the stillbirth rate amongst women who presented with reduced fetal movements changed during COVID. Ultrasound provision was not impacted by COVID with 95% of the scans performed according to local guidelines, compared to Pre-COVID (74%, p = 0.0001). Conclusions There is a significant decrease in 1st attendances for reduced fetal movements during COVID-19 pandemic. Primiparous women were 1.4 times more likely to attend with RFM. Women should be reassured that COVID-19 has not resulted in a decreased provision of care for RFM, and has not impacted on the stillbirth rate.

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