Naslov
Fetal behavior assessed in all three trimesters of normal pregnancy by four dimensional (4D) ultrasonography

Autori
Kurjak, Asim ; Stanojević, Milan ; Andonotopo, Wiku ; Scazzocchio-Duenas, Elena ; Azumendi, Guillermo ; Carrera, Jose Maria

Izvornik
Croatian medical journal (0353-9504) 46 (2005), 5; 772-780

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u časopisima, članak, znanstveni

Ključne riječi
Fetal behavior; four-dimensional sonography

Sažetak
Aim To assess fetal behavior in all three trimesters of normal pregnancy and to investigate the continuation of behavior from fetal to neonatal period. Methods One hundred out of 130 pregnantwomen in all trimesterswith singleton pregnancy were assigned for the investigation. All recordings were performed in the morning, after two hours of fasting. Video recordings of newborns were made while the newborns were in bed, separated from other infants in the nursery, dressed, and lying on their backs in a supine positionwith unrestrained hands. Recording was not performed during prolonged episodes of fussing and crying, during drowsiness, and episodes of hiccupping. All observed facial expressions and movement patterns were presented collectively with maximum, minimum, and median frequencies during 30-minute observation period. Results We noted a tendency towards decreased frequency of facial expressions andmovement patterns with increasing gestational age. In the first trimester, we observed the highest incidence of general movements ranging between 5 and 147, andwith amedian value of 47. In the second trimester, the number of head and handmovements decreased gradually, comparedwith the first trimester. The highest range was registered for head retroflexion pattern, ranging from 15 to 42 with a median of 25. The most frequent facial pattern in the second trimesterwas sucking (3 and 30 movements per infantwith amedian value of 9). Wilcoxon rank-sum test showed statistically significant differences between the fetuses in the third trimester and the newborns (P<0.05) in hand to head, hand to mouth, hand to eye, hand to earmovement), tongue expulsion, and smiling, whereas the differences between the rest of the movementswere not statistically significant. Spearman rank order correlation reached statistical significance (P<0.05) in isolated eye blinking, smiling, grimacing, hand to head, hand to mouth, hand to eye, hand to face, and in hand to earmovement, whereas the differences between the rest of the facial expressions were not statistically significant. Conclusion Fetal behavioral patterns directly reflect the developmental and maturational processes of the central nervous system. 4D observation of fetal and early neonatal periodmay add to better understanding of the neurological development of the fetus.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Javno zdravstvo i zdravstvena zaštita

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