Postdate gestation, preeclampsia, chronic hypertension and diabetes mellitus are among the causes of placental dysfunction. How Early Can You Hear Babys Heartbeat on Ultrasound and By Ear? The FHR is controlled by the autonomic nervous system. Furthermore, as it detects motion of structures through time, M-mode echocardiography is commonly used in the evaluation of fetal arrhythmias and excursions of various cardiac valves. The bigeminy is also clearly seen in the umbilical artery pulsed Doppler spectrum (B). Severe prolonged bradycardia of less than 80 bpm that lasts for three minutes or longer is an ominous finding indicating severe hypoxia and is often a terminal event.4,11,16 Causes of prolonged severe bradycardia are listed in Table 6. Ventricular tachycardia (VT) occurs when the hearts lower chambers, the ventricles, beat too rapidly and cannot pump enough blood around the body. Overview of fetal arrhythmias. how could a fetal arrhythmia affect fetal oxygenation? Information can be provided when the pulsed Doppler gate is placed across the mitral and aortic valves (Fig. In some cases, however, we will monitor your baby and advise mom to reduce caffeine and stress. Specifically, it then reviews the maternal, fetal, and placental factors . (2014). Not all fetal arrhythmias require special treatment. 33.5), or superior vena cava and aorta (Fig. More information on optimizing tissue Doppler display is presented in Chapter 14. periodic accelerations can indicate all of the following except: A. Stimulation of fetal chemoreceptors B. Tracing is maternal C. Umbilical vein compression A. Stimulation of fetal chemoreceptors All of the following are likely causes of prolonged decelerations except: A. Most arrhythmias are not dangerous, but some are concerning. Typical treatment is oral anti-arrhythmic medicine taken by mom which is carried across the placenta to the fetus. The FHR recordings may be interpreted as reassuring, nonreassuring or ominous, according to the pattern of the tracing. Get the latest on vaccine information, in-person appointments, video visits and more. If a doctor suspects an arrhythmia after reviewing a persons routine ultrasound, they may recommend a fetal echocardiogram. Irregular fetal cardiac rhythm is the leading cause for referrals to fetal echocardiography centers for rhythm disturbances, and the vast majority of those are benign atrial ectopic beats.
