OBJECTIVE:To determine effects of maternal fasting on antepartum computerized fetal heart tracing analysis.
STUDY DESIGN:This was a cross-sectional study of two groups of healthy pregnant women who were recruited, a fasting and a nonfasting control group. Each pregnant woman gave a blood sample, and had a computerized fetal heart tracing.
RESULTS:A total of 124 pregnant women were studied. The mean hours since the last oral intake were significantly different between the two groups ( p ¼ 0.003). Fetuses of fasted mothers had fewer episodes of large acceleration compared to the controls ( p ¼ 0.001). This difference was significantly associated with maternal appreciation of fetal movement ( p ¼ 0.003).
CONCLUSION:The number of large accelerations in computerized fetal heart tracing is decreased in pregnant women abstaining from food and water. Journal of Perinatology (2005) 25, 90-92.