Fetal tachycardia and meconium staining: A sign of fetal infection

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
A retrospective study was carried out on 72 liveborn babies in whom perinatal infection was suspected. Of the 72 neonates, 29 were effectively infected. Analysis of intrapartum FHR [fetal heart rate] recordings showed that tachycardia (base line FHR above 160 beats/min) during labor, occurred more often among infected babies (P < 0.001). When fetal tachycarida is associated with meconium stained amniotic fluid (MSAF), the relative risk of fetal infection is 51 times as great as in babies without MSAF. Fetal tachycardia is not related to maternal fever nor to prematurity. It is not a sign of limited placental or amniotic fluid infection, but implies infection of the fetus itself. Since most infected babies displayed infectious diarrhea immediately at birth, MSAF may eventually be due to antenatal intestinal infection and intrauterine emission of infected stools. Although great caution is advocated for the management of labor in the presence of fetal tachycardia, MSAF should not always be regarded as a sign of acute fetal distress when antenatal infection of the fetus is suspected.

This publication has 14 references indexed in Scilit: