| Abstract: | The significance and management of prepartum bradycardia is not well established in prepartum fetal assessment. The incidence of prolonged bradycardia was 3.5% (45 per 1284), defined as a decrease of greater than or equal to 40 beats per minute of the fetal heart rate (FHR) below the baseline for at least 2 minutes. Thirty-two maternal, fetal, and FHR tracing characteristics were examined to study correlations between the variables, the presence of the bradycardia, and neonatal outcome. Neonatal outcome was evaluated by dividing the population into two groups. Group 1 consisted of infants with 1-minute Apgar scores less than 6 and NICU admissions greater than 24 hours. Group 2 comprised infants with 1-minute Apgar scores greater than 6 and no NICU admission or less than 24 hours NICU admission. IUGR was diagnosed in 40% of the patients. Statistically significant associations were found for correlations between Group 1 infants and IUGR (P less than .05), oligohydramnios (P less than .05), cesarean section rate (P less than .04), and the presence of meconium (P less than .01). There were no fetal heart rate characteristics found to be significantly associated with IUGR or neonatal outcome. The data do not support the need for immediate delivery in patients with prolonged prepartum bradycardia, but its presence does warrant a workup for intrauterine growth retardation. |
