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Brain-sparing Circulation in Growth-restricted Human Fetuses

Fu, Jing LU (2007)
Abstract
The aim of the studies was to explore fetal circulatory changes relative to development of brain-sparing flow (BSF) in growth-restricted fetuses exposed to acute hypoxic stress, as provoked by uterine contractions during an oxytocin challenge test (OCT).(1) In fetuses with a normal cerebral circulation during basal conditions, signs of an acute hyperperfusion in both the arterial and venous cerebral vascular systems were demonstrated in response to acute hypoxic stress; (2) Fetuses with an already established BSF showed no further ability of brain-sparing during acute hypoxic stress; (3) In venous cerebral vessels of fetuses with established BSF, the flow responses to hypoxic stress were equivocal, indicating different reactions in areas... (More)
The aim of the studies was to explore fetal circulatory changes relative to development of brain-sparing flow (BSF) in growth-restricted fetuses exposed to acute hypoxic stress, as provoked by uterine contractions during an oxytocin challenge test (OCT).(1) In fetuses with a normal cerebral circulation during basal conditions, signs of an acute hyperperfusion in both the arterial and venous cerebral vascular systems were demonstrated in response to acute hypoxic stress; (2) Fetuses with an already established BSF showed no further ability of brain-sparing during acute hypoxic stress; (3) In venous cerebral vessels of fetuses with established BSF, the flow responses to hypoxic stress were equivocal, indicating different reactions in areas drained by different veins, or a deranged physiological vascular response; (4) Blood flow changes occurred synchronized in the middle and anterior cerebral arteries when fetuses with an intact cerebral circulation were exposed to hypoxic stress; (5) When fetuses with an established BSF showed no further changes in the middle cerebral artery, no changes were found in the anterior cerebral artery either. Hence, there was no evidence of an intracerebral regional redistribution of flow during acute hypoxic stress; (6) Two mechanisms for development of acute BSF were indicated: one while the umbilical artery vascular flow resistance increased and one while it decreased. In the former situation no flow velocity changes were found in ductus venosus with development of BSF, suggesting the fetal circulation is centralized at the expense of the umbilicoplacental circulation; In the latter situation, the ductus venosus diastolic flow velocity increased and the ductus? vascular resistance decreased in a serial relationship with development of BSF; (7) The rate of positive (abnormal) OCT increased, and the chance of vaginal delivery decreased, with severity of both fetal growth restriction and umbilical artery blood flow changes; Due to only a 7-8 % chance of vaginal delivery, women with severe fetal growth restriction and/or severe blood flow changes are recommended delivery by elective cesarean section; (8) Fetal BSF is a poor predictor of a positive OCT, and of cesarean section in OCT negative women (Cohen's Kappa coefficients ? 0.23). (Less)
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author
supervisor
opponent
  • Professor Kiserud, Torvid, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Bergen, Haukeland University Hospital. Norwa
organization
publishing date
type
Thesis
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Obstetrics, gynaecology, andrology, reproduction, sexuality, Fetal growth-restriction., Brain-sparing., Oxytocin challenge test., Obstetrik, gynekologi, andrologi, reproduktion, sexualitet
pages
127 pages
publisher
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Lund University
defense location
Lecture Hall, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Malmö University Hospital, Malmö.
defense date
2007-06-15 13:00:00
ISBN
978-91-85559-80-0
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
J Fu and P Olofsson. 2006. Restrained cerebral hyperperfusion in response to superimposed acute hypoxemia in growth-restricted human fetuses with established brain-sparing blood flow Early Human Development, vol 82 pp 211-6.
J Fu and P Olofsson. 2007. Intracerebral regional distribution of blood flow in response to uterine contractions in growth-restricted human fetuses Early Human Development, (inpress)
J Fu and P Olofsson. 2007. Ductus venosus, middle cerebral artery, and umbilical artery flow responses to uterine contractions in growth-restricted human fetuses Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology, (accepted)
J Fu and P Olofsson. 2007. Management of growth-restricted term fetuses with umbilical artery blood flow changes: the role of oxytocin challenge test and middle cerebral artery Doppler flow velocimetry (submitted)
id
06fb54ea-3e41-4221-8534-6ea59d91befe (old id 548810)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 16:22:45
date last changed
2019-03-20 09:31:49
@phdthesis{06fb54ea-3e41-4221-8534-6ea59d91befe,
  abstract     = {{The aim of the studies was to explore fetal circulatory changes relative to development of brain-sparing flow (BSF) in growth-restricted fetuses exposed to acute hypoxic stress, as provoked by uterine contractions during an oxytocin challenge test (OCT).(1) In fetuses with a normal cerebral circulation during basal conditions, signs of an acute hyperperfusion in both the arterial and venous cerebral vascular systems were demonstrated in response to acute hypoxic stress; (2) Fetuses with an already established BSF showed no further ability of brain-sparing during acute hypoxic stress; (3) In venous cerebral vessels of fetuses with established BSF, the flow responses to hypoxic stress were equivocal, indicating different reactions in areas drained by different veins, or a deranged physiological vascular response; (4) Blood flow changes occurred synchronized in the middle and anterior cerebral arteries when fetuses with an intact cerebral circulation were exposed to hypoxic stress; (5) When fetuses with an established BSF showed no further changes in the middle cerebral artery, no changes were found in the anterior cerebral artery either. Hence, there was no evidence of an intracerebral regional redistribution of flow during acute hypoxic stress; (6) Two mechanisms for development of acute BSF were indicated: one while the umbilical artery vascular flow resistance increased and one while it decreased. In the former situation no flow velocity changes were found in ductus venosus with development of BSF, suggesting the fetal circulation is centralized at the expense of the umbilicoplacental circulation; In the latter situation, the ductus venosus diastolic flow velocity increased and the ductus? vascular resistance decreased in a serial relationship with development of BSF; (7) The rate of positive (abnormal) OCT increased, and the chance of vaginal delivery decreased, with severity of both fetal growth restriction and umbilical artery blood flow changes; Due to only a 7-8 % chance of vaginal delivery, women with severe fetal growth restriction and/or severe blood flow changes are recommended delivery by elective cesarean section; (8) Fetal BSF is a poor predictor of a positive OCT, and of cesarean section in OCT negative women (Cohen's Kappa coefficients ? 0.23).}},
  author       = {{Fu, Jing}},
  isbn         = {{978-91-85559-80-0}},
  keywords     = {{Obstetrics; gynaecology; andrology; reproduction; sexuality; Fetal growth-restriction.; Brain-sparing.; Oxytocin challenge test.; Obstetrik; gynekologi; andrologi; reproduktion; sexualitet}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Lund University}},
  school       = {{Lund University}},
  title        = {{Brain-sparing Circulation in Growth-restricted Human Fetuses}},
  year         = {{2007}},
}