Relation of fetal blood gases and data from computer‐assisted analysis of fetal heart rate patterns in small for gestation fetuses

Summary. Fetal heart rate (FHR) monitoring and computer‐assisted analysis were performed immediately before cordocentesis in 25 severely small‐for‐gestational age fetuses. There were significant associations between FHR variation and both umbilical vein blood Po2 (r= 0–66) and pH (r=0.69). However, the wide scatter of values around the regression lines prevented accurate prediction of fetal blood gases from FHR patterns. Nevertheless, FHR variation <20 ms was always associated with severe fetal hypoxaemia and acidaemia.

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