Diagnosis and treatment of fetal arrhythmia. Am J Perinatol 2014 Aug;31(7):617-28
Date
05/27/2014Pubmed ID
24858320Pubmed Central ID
PMC4073210DOI
10.1055/s-0034-1372430Scopus ID
2-s2.0-84903267785 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 97 CitationsAbstract
AIMS: Detection and careful stratification of fetal heart rate (FHR) is extremely important in all pregnancies. The most lethal cardiac rhythm disturbances occur during apparently normal pregnancies where FHR and rhythm are regular and within normal or low-normal ranges. These hidden depolarization and repolarization abnormalities, associated with genetic ion channelopathies cannot be detected by echocardiography, and may be responsible for up to 10% of unexplained fetal demise, prompting a need for newer and better fetal diagnostic techniques. Other manifest fetal arrhythmias such as premature beats, tachycardia, and bradycardia are commonly recognized.
METHODS: Heart rhythm diagnosis in obstetrical practice is usually made by M-mode and pulsed Doppler fetal echocardiography, but not all fetal cardiac time intervals are captured by echocardiographic methods.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: This article reviews different types of fetal arrhythmias, their presentation and treatment strategies, and gives an overview of the present and future diagnostic techniques.
Author List
Wacker-Gussmann A, Strasburger JF, Cuneo BF, Wakai RTAuthor
Janette F. Strasburger MD Professor in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
Arrhythmias, CardiacBradycardia
Cardiotocography
Echocardiography
Electrocardiography
Female
Fetal Diseases
Fetal Heart
Humans
Pregnancy
Prenatal Diagnosis
Tachycardia
Ultrasonography, Prenatal
