title: The effect of intermittent maternal fasting on computerized fetal heart tracing.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine effects of maternal fasting on antepartum computerized fetal heart tracing analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional study of two groups of healthy pregnant women who were recruited, a fasting and a nonfasting control group. Each pregnant woman gave a blood sample, and had a computerized fetal heart tracing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 124 pregnant women were studied. The mean hours since the last oral intake were significantly different between the two groups (p=0.003). Fetuses of fasted mothers had fewer episodes of large acceleration compared to the controls (p=0.001). This difference was significantly associated with maternal appreciation of fetal movement (p=0.003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The number of large accelerations in computerized fetal heart tracing is decreased in pregnant women abstaining from food and water.
authors.affiliation: Department Obstetrics and Gynaecology (H.M.M., S.W., S.A.A., M.E.), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Hisham M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Mirghani
authors.forename: Sarath
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Weerasinghe
authors.forename: Shamsaa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al-Awar
authors.forename: Lolowa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Abdulla
authors.forename: Mutairu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ezimokhai
mesh_terms: D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005215:Fasting / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005324:Fetal Movement / Q000502:physiology; D006340:Heart Rate, Fetal / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007514:Islam; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000502:physiology*; D039401:Prenatal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose