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Limited role of fetal blood sampling in prediction of outcome in intrauterine growth retardation.

Authors :
Nicolini U
Nicolaidis P
Fisk NM
Vaughan JI
Fusi L
Gleeson R
Rodeck CH
Source :
Lancet (London, England) [Lancet] 1990 Sep 29; Vol. 336 (8718), pp. 768-72.
Publication Year :
1990

Abstract

Fetal acid-base status was evaluated on 66 blood samples taken for rapid karyotyping from 58 growth-retarded fetuses. Before blood sampling, doppler blood flow studies of the umbilical artery showed end-diastolic frequencies to be absent in 32 fetuses (group 1) and present in 26 (group 2). Fetuses with chromosomal (n = 4) or structural (n = 8) abnormalities were excluded from subsequent analysis. Gestational age at blood sampling (27.8 [95% CI 26.5-29.1] vs 32.2 [30.4-34.1] weeks) and time from sampling to delivery (median 2 (range 0-35] vs 14 [0-77] days) were significantly lower in group 1 than group 2. There were no perinatal deaths in group 2 whereas mortality in group 1 was 65.4%. There were significant differences between the groups at blood sampling in pH, pO2, pCO2, base equivalents, and nucleated-red-cell count, but within group 1 these measurements were similar in surviving fetuses and those who died perinatally. Since acid-base determination does not predict perinatal outcome in growth-retarded fetuses, fetal blood sampling has a limited role in monitoring fetal wellbeing.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
0140-6736
Volume :
336
Issue :
8718
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
Lancet (London, England)
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
1976146
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1016/0140-6736(90)93239-l