title: Assessment of umbilical artery flow and fetal heart rate to predict delivery time in bitches.
abstract: The aim of this study was to quantitatively investigate the oscillation of the fetal heart rate (HR) in advance of normal delivery and whether this index could be used to indicate impending delivery. In addition, fetal HR oscillation and umbilical artery resistive index (RI) were correlated to determine if the combination of these parameters provided a more accurate prediction of the time of delivery. Sonographic evaluation was performed in 11 pregnant bitches to evaluate the fetal HR and umbilical artery RI at the following antepartum times: 120 to 96 hours, 72 to 48 hours, 24 to 12 hours, and 12 to 1 hours. Statistical analysis indicated a correlation between the oscillation of fetal HR and the umbilical artery RI. As delivery approached a considerable reduction in the umbilical artery RI was documented and greater oscillations between maximum and minimum HRs occurred. We conclude that the quantitative analysis of fetal HR oscillations may be used to predict the time of delivery in bitches. The combination of fetal HR and umbilical artery RI together may provide more accurate predictions of time of delivery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Paraná, Paraná, Brazil. Electronic address: amaliaturner@uol.com.br.
authors.forename: Amália Turner
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Giannico
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Paraná, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Daniela Aparecida Ayres
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Paraná, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Elaine Mayumi Ueno
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Gil
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Paraná, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marlos Gonçalves
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Paraná, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tilde Rodrigues
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Froes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D004285:Dogs / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000502:physiology*; D006340:Heart Rate, Fetal / Q000502:physiology*; D036801:Parturition / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014469:Umbilical Arteries / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Dog; Doppler ultrasonography; Fetal ultrasonography; Heart rate; Resistive index