title: Blink-startle reflex habituation in 30-34-week low-risk fetuses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether the blink-startle reflex (BSR) is a good marker of habituation to vibroacoustic stimulation in healthy preterm fetuses.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 22 women with uncomplicated pregnancies at 30-34 weeks participated in the study. Vibroacoustic stimulus was repeatedly applied to the maternal abdomen above the fetal head for a period of 2 s every 10 s. Fetal eye tightening monitored by ultrasound within 2 s of the stimulus was considered a positive response. The habituation rate was defined as the number of stimuli applied before the fetus stopped responding to two consecutive stimuli. Results were compared using the Mann-Whitney U-test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All 22 fetuses showed habituation at a rate that varied from 1 to 9 (mean 4.2+/-1.8).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BSR is a good marker of habituation in preterm fetuses. Further study is needed to ascertain whether abnormal BSR habituation could be a sign of fetal distress.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Reproductive Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy. bellieni@iol.it
authors.forename: Carlo V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Bellieni
authors.forename: Filiberto
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Severi
authors.forename: Catarina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bocchi
authors.forename: Ninetta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Caparelli
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bagnoli
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Buonocore
authors.forename: Felice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Petraglia
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000328:Adult; D001767:Blinking / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000502:physiology*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic; D006801:Humans; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D012016:Reference Values; D013216:Reflex, Startle / Q000502:physiology*; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal