title: Effects of maternal hyperoxia on the biophysical assessment of fetuses with suspected intrauterine growth retardation.
abstract: Fifty-two third-trimester fetuses with suspected intrauterine growth retardation were studied by means of a computer-assisted biophysical assessment scheme, which used maternal hyperoxia as a diagnostic probe. Biophysical data examined included percentage of time spent in breathing, mean breath rate, and percentage of time spent in body movement during a 90-minute observation: 30-minute baseline, 15-minute hyperoxia, and 45-minute posthyperoxia. Mean baseline movement in fetuses found as neonates to have intrauterine growth retardation (N = 18) was significantly lower than that of normal fetuses (N = 34). Fetal body movements and breathing movements increased significantly after hyperoxia in the intrauterine growth retardation group but not in the normal group. Increases of more than 75% over baseline for fetal breathing and more than 250% over baseline for fetal body movements yielded a sensitivity of 56%, specificity of 94%, positive predicative value of 83%, and negative predicative value of 80%. Maternal hyperoxia during biophysical testing may improve the accuracy of detecting intrauterine growth retardation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta 30912-3710.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Ruedrich
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Devoe
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Searle
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005324:Fetal Movement; D005333:Fetus / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012016:Reference Values; D012119:Respiration
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen