title: Parasympathetic tone variations according to umbilical cord pH at birth: a computerized fetal heart rate variability analysis.
abstract: Non-reassuring fetal heart rate tracings reflect an imbalance between the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems. In this situation, fetal asphyxia can be suspected and may be confirmed by metabolic measurements at birth like low pH or high base deficit values. The objective of this study was to determine whether fetal asphyxia during labor is related to parasympathetic nervous system activity. This is a retrospective study of a database collected in 5 centers. Two hundred and ninety-nine fetal heart rate tracings collected during labor were analyzed. Autonomic nervous system, especially the parasympathetic nervous system, was analyzed using an original index: the FSI (Fetal Stress Index). The FSI is a parasympathetic activity evaluation based on fetal heart rate variability analysis. Infants were grouped based on normal or low pH value at birth. FSI was measured during the last 30 min of labor before birth and compared between groups. The minimum value of the FSI during the last 30 min before delivery was significantly lower in the group with the lower umbilical cord arterial pH value. In this pilot study during labor, FSI was lower in the group of infants with low arterial pH at birth.
authors.affiliation: Faculté de médecine Pôle Recherche, EA 4489, Environnement Périnatal et Santé, 1, place de Verdun, 59045, Lille Cedex, France. laura.butruille@hotmail.fr.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5760-1489
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Butruille
authors.affiliation: Faculté de médecine Pôle Recherche, EA 4489, Environnement Périnatal et Santé, 1, place de Verdun, 59045, Lille Cedex, France.|Maison Régionale de la Recherche Clinique, INSERM CIC-IT 1403, Lille, France.
authors.forename: Julien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: De Jonckheere
authors.affiliation: Maison Régionale de la Recherche Clinique, INSERM CIC-IT 1403, Lille, France.
authors.forename: Mathilde
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Flocteil
authors.affiliation: Faculté de médecine Pôle Recherche, EA 4489, Environnement Périnatal et Santé, 1, place de Verdun, 59045, Lille Cedex, France.|Hôpital Jeanne de Flandre, Clinique de Gynécologie-Obstétrique, Lille, France.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Garabedian
authors.affiliation: Faculté de médecine Pôle Recherche, EA 4489, Environnement Périnatal et Santé, 1, place de Verdun, 59045, Lille Cedex, France.|Hôpital Jeanne de Flandre, Clinique de Gynécologie-Obstétrique, Lille, France.
authors.forename: Véronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Houfflin-Debarge
authors.affiliation: Faculté de médecine Pôle Recherche, EA 4489, Environnement Périnatal et Santé, 1, place de Verdun, 59045, Lille Cedex, France.|Hôpital Jeanne de Flandre, Clinique de médecine néonatale, Lille, France.
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Storme
authors.affiliation: Faculté de médecine Pôle Recherche, EA 4489, Environnement Périnatal et Santé, 1, place de Verdun, 59045, Lille Cedex, France.|Hôpital Jeanne de Flandre, Clinique de Gynécologie-Obstétrique, Lille, France.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Deruelle
authors.affiliation: Maison Régionale de la Recherche Clinique, INSERM CIC-IT 1403, Lille, France.
authors.forename: Régis
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Logier
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System; D002309:Cardiology / Q000379:methods*; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D005260:Female; D005323:Fetal Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D006340:Heart Rate, Fetal; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007743:Labor, Obstetric; D015233:Models, Statistical; D010275:Parasympathetic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D012984:Software; D014470:Umbilical Cord / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: Acidemia; Autonomic nervous system; Fetus; Heart rate variability; Umbilical cord pH