Maternal anxiety and fetal behavior at 15 weeks' gestation.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the relationship between maternal anxiety and fetal behavior at 15 weeks' gestation.


METHODS
Twenty women in two groups were studied: 10 women underwent amniocentesis and 10 controls did not. Maternal anxiety was evaluated using the State Trait Anxiety Inventory questionnaire. Maternal plasma catecholamines (noradrenaline, adrenaline, dopamine) and maternal serum adrenocorticotropic hormone, cortisol, glucose, insulin, triiodothyronine, thyroxine and thyroid-stimulating hormone were measured. Catecholamines were also measured in the amniotic fluid of women undergoing amniocentesis. Compiled actograms of 40-min observations were done using ultrasonography.


RESULTS
Maternal state-anxiety was significantly increased in the amniocentesis group. Except for fetal hiccups (r = 0.49, P = 0.03) there was no significant correlation between maternal anxiety and any of the other studied fetal movements. Maternal glucose was significantly correlated with hiccups (r = -0.59, P = 0.01), isolated leg movements (r = -0.52, P = 0.03), startles (r = -0.47, P = 0.04) and the total of the studied movements (r = -0.47, P = 0.04). Amniotic fluid catecholamines were significantly correlated with hand-face contact (r = 0.71, P = 0.02 for adrenaline), startles (r = 0.75, P = 0.01 for noradrenaline and r = 0.64, P = 0.04 for dopamine) and general movements (r = 0.89, P = 0.001 for noradrenaline).


CONCLUSIONS
This study does not support a relationship between maternal anxiety and fetal behavior in early pregnancy. Maternal glucose and plasma catecholamines could be related to fetal movements at 15 weeks' gestation.
Bartha
J L
JL
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital of Puerto Real, Puerto Real, Cadiz, Spain. J.Bartha@bristol.ac.uk
Martinez-del-Fresno
P
P
Romero-Carmona
R
R
Hunter
A
A
Comino-Delgado
R
R
D000328:Adult; D000649:Amniocentesis; D001007:Anxiety / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001786:Blood Glucose; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005324:Fetal Movement / Q000502:physiology; D005333:Fetus / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies
D001786:Blood Glucose