title: Prenatal sonographic diagnosis of intracranial haemorrhage: report of a case with a sinusoidal fetal heart rate tracing, and review of the literature.
abstract: The sinusoidal fetal heart rate pattern has been described in association with severe fetal anaemia, with fetal hypoxaemia, and with the administration of parenteral narcotics. Here, we report a case of decreased fetal movement in which a sinusoidal tracing was recorded. The sonographic diagnosis of a massive fetal intracranial haemorrhage was made. A non-interventive approach was taken and the fetus died soon after in utero. We review 28 previous cases in which the prenatal sonographic diagnosis of fetal intracranial haemorrhage was made, including the underlying maternal and fetal factors and neonatal outcomes. We propose that the sinusoidal tracing in this case was due to the intracranial bleed and suggest that fetal intracranial haemorrhage be considered in the sonographic evaluation of the fetus with a sinusoidal pattern.
authors.affiliation: Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Pathology, Mary Birch Hospital for Women, Sharp Memorial Hospital, San Diego, California 92123, USA.
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Catanzarite
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Schrimmer
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Maida
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mendoza
mesh_terms: D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005324:Fetal Movement; D005865:Gestational Age; D006340:Heart Rate, Fetal; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal