[Relations between neonatal heart rate variability and the behavioral state].
In sixty healthy newborn infants the relations between the neonatal heart rate variability (NHRV) and the behavioral state were investigated. The infants were divided to subsequent two subgroups according to the mode of delivery. One was normal vaginal delivery (N = 47), and the other was elective cesarean section (N = 13). R-R intervals less than 280 msec and more than 700 msec were excluded. The maximum difference in successive R-R intervals accepted was 60 msec. The standard deviation of R-R intervals as LTV index and the mean of absolute beat to beat difference as STV index were calculated with a minicomputer. The behavioral states were classified according to Prechtl's criteria. The LTV in state 2 and state 4 increased progressively and reached its maximum level on the third day after birth. The change of STV was neither consistent nor significant. In state 5, both the STV and the LTV were very low. The discriminant function gave percentages of correct classification of 85-100% for the active quiet states. The NHRV was similar in state 1 and state 3, and in state 2 and state 4 respectively. There was an increase in the LTV during the 24 hours after birth in the CS group. Thus, neonatal adaptation of CS differs from that of normal labor.
D000220:Adaptation, Biological; D001724:Birth Weight; D002585:Cesarean Section; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology; D014851:Wakefulness