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Signs of fetal brain sparing are not related to umbilical cord blood gases at birth.

Cheema, Riffat LU ; Dubiel, Mariusz and Gudmundsson, Saemundur LU (2009) In Early Human Development 85. p.467-470
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Fetal chronic hypoxia leads to centralization of circulation in order to spare the vital organs brain, adrenals and the heart. This can be documented by Doppler ultrasound. Increased blood velocity in the fetal middle cerebral artery (MCA) is an acknowledged sign of centralization of circulation in chronic hypoxia, and is called brain sparing. AIM: Our aim was to assess the relationship between signs of brain sparing in the MCA and umbilical cord blood gases at birth. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective study. SUBJECTS: Singleton 57 high-risk pregnancies (outcome was compared with 21 normal pregnancies). METHODS: MCA Doppler was performed within 24 h of elective caesarean section in high-risk pregnancies. Umbilical cord blood gases... (More)
BACKGROUND: Fetal chronic hypoxia leads to centralization of circulation in order to spare the vital organs brain, adrenals and the heart. This can be documented by Doppler ultrasound. Increased blood velocity in the fetal middle cerebral artery (MCA) is an acknowledged sign of centralization of circulation in chronic hypoxia, and is called brain sparing. AIM: Our aim was to assess the relationship between signs of brain sparing in the MCA and umbilical cord blood gases at birth. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective study. SUBJECTS: Singleton 57 high-risk pregnancies (outcome was compared with 21 normal pregnancies). METHODS: MCA Doppler was performed within 24 h of elective caesarean section in high-risk pregnancies. Umbilical cord blood gases were analysed at birth. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cord blood gases were related to signs of centralization of fetal circulation in the MCA. RESULTS: No correlation between signs of brain sparing in the MCA and cord blood gases. Apgar score at 5'<7 was seen in three newborns, but only one of these had antenatal signs of brain sparing. Newborns with antenatal brain sparing were admitted more often (p<0.04) and had a longer duration of stay in NICU (p<0.03) compared to newborns without brain sparing. CONCLUSION: Decreased pulsatility index in MCA is an acknowledged sign of fetal centralization of circulation during chronic hypoxia. However, signs of brain sparing are not related to cord blood gases at birth, which might suggest that redistribution of fetal circulation can maintain normal blood gases for a long time during chronic hypoxia. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Early Human Development
volume
85
pages
467 - 470
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000267588100011
  • pmid:19395205
  • scopus:67349144670
  • pmid:19395205
ISSN
1872-6232
DOI
10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2009.04.003
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Research Unit for Urogynaecology and Reproductive Pharmacology (013242710), Pediatrics/Urology/Gynecology/Endocrinology (013240400)
id
ebb84209-d136-4beb-987e-8c0848c55133 (old id 1391822)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19395205?dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 09:05:19
date last changed
2022-03-15 17:37:53
@article{ebb84209-d136-4beb-987e-8c0848c55133,
  abstract     = {{BACKGROUND: Fetal chronic hypoxia leads to centralization of circulation in order to spare the vital organs brain, adrenals and the heart. This can be documented by Doppler ultrasound. Increased blood velocity in the fetal middle cerebral artery (MCA) is an acknowledged sign of centralization of circulation in chronic hypoxia, and is called brain sparing. AIM: Our aim was to assess the relationship between signs of brain sparing in the MCA and umbilical cord blood gases at birth. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective study. SUBJECTS: Singleton 57 high-risk pregnancies (outcome was compared with 21 normal pregnancies). METHODS: MCA Doppler was performed within 24 h of elective caesarean section in high-risk pregnancies. Umbilical cord blood gases were analysed at birth. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cord blood gases were related to signs of centralization of fetal circulation in the MCA. RESULTS: No correlation between signs of brain sparing in the MCA and cord blood gases. Apgar score at 5'&lt;7 was seen in three newborns, but only one of these had antenatal signs of brain sparing. Newborns with antenatal brain sparing were admitted more often (p&lt;0.04) and had a longer duration of stay in NICU (p&lt;0.03) compared to newborns without brain sparing. CONCLUSION: Decreased pulsatility index in MCA is an acknowledged sign of fetal centralization of circulation during chronic hypoxia. However, signs of brain sparing are not related to cord blood gases at birth, which might suggest that redistribution of fetal circulation can maintain normal blood gases for a long time during chronic hypoxia.}},
  author       = {{Cheema, Riffat and Dubiel, Mariusz and Gudmundsson, Saemundur}},
  issn         = {{1872-6232}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{467--470}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Early Human Development}},
  title        = {{Signs of fetal brain sparing are not related to umbilical cord blood gases at birth.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2009.04.003}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2009.04.003}},
  volume       = {{85}},
  year         = {{2009}},
}