Fetal extrasystole may predict poor neonatal outcome.
Extrasystoles particularly premature atrial contractions noted during labour on the fetal heart rate monitoring strip are usually thought to be benign. In pregnancies complicated by fetal infection and/or the fetal inflammatory response syndrome, there are some data that extrasystoles noted during the intrapartum period may be related to neonatal sepsis and eventual poor neonatal outcome including death or neonatal encephalopathy. Additional observations are needed to substantiate this hypothesis.
Brown
Jake A
JA
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi, USA.
Morrison
John C
JC
Magann
Everett F
EF
Cefalo
Robert C
RC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005117:Cardiac Complexes, Premature / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D005316:Fetal Distress / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005323:Fetal Monitoring; D006340:Heart Rate, Fetal / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011295:Prenatal Care; D018805:Sepsis / Q000209:etiology; D018746:Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome / Q000209:etiology