FETAL BREATHING MOVEMENTS AS PREDICTOR OF INFECTION IN PREGNANCIES WITH PREMATURE RUPTURE OF MEMBRANES

Abstract

Appearance of fetal breathing novements (FBM) after 20.weeks of gestation is a sign of fetal well-being (AND) good oxygenation of central nervons system. Infection, in it's early stage, increanes fetal tissues'needs for oxygen. That causes relative hypoxia of CNS and the abscence of FBM, especially in pregnancies with premature rupture of membranes (PRM). FBM were prospectively studied in 78 patients with PRM in singleton pregnancies from 29 to 37 weeks of gestation. Of these 78 women, 20 (26%) had complications based on (I) amnionitis 11 (14%), (II) possible neonatal infection 10 (13%) and (III) neonatal sepsis 5 (6%). Incidence of FBM was 62% (36/58) in the group of 58 women with PRM, but without complications, compared with 10% (2/20) in the group with PRM and complications. FBM were found in 18% (2/11) of cases with amnionitis, 20 (2/10) in the group with possible neonatal infection and 0% (0/5) in the group with neonatal sepsis. Censitivity of the test for these groups were: 1-82%, 11-80%, 111-100%. It is well-konwn that assessment of fetal maturity and biophysical profile (that contains FBM) are very important in antepartum evaluation of pregnancies with PRM. But, absence of FBM, in the majority of cases, could be useful predictor of possible infection of mother or fetus. References 1. Manning F.A,Platt L.D: Fetal breathing movements and NST in high risk pregnancies. Am.J.Obstet.Gynecol, 235:511, 1979. 2. Kivikoski AI, Amon E. et al: Effect of third-trimester premature rupture of membranes on fetal breathing movements: A prospective case-control study, Am.