THE EFFECT OF INTRAVENOUS GLUCOSE ON HUMAN FETAL BREATHING MEASURED BY DOPPLER ULTRASOUND

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Abstract
Fetal breathing movements were recorded from 24 normal fetuses using the continuous Doppler ultrasound method. This system has been improved by the addition of a microprocessor which facilitates the accurate determination of breath to breath intervals. A control group of twelve patients in late pregnancy received 2 ml sterile water. By comparison the administration of 25 g intravenous glucose to a similar group of 12 patients caused an increase in the proportion of time during which fetal breathing was present from 18.2±5.8 per cent (mean±SE) to 67.0±6.3 per cent after 25 minutes (p±0.001). There was no significant change in the rate or variability of breathing.