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EFFECTS OF INTRAMUSCULAR PETHIDINE ON FETAL HEART RATE VARIABILITY DURING LABOUR
Author(s) -
Kariniemi Veikko,
ÄMmälä Pirkko
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
bjog: an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.157
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1471-0528
pISSN - 1470-0328
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1981.tb01271.x
Subject(s) - pethidine , anesthesia , medicine , fetus , heart rate , fetal heart rate , intramuscular injection , pregnancy , blood pressure , biology , analgesic , genetics
Summary The effects of intramuscularly administered pethidine on indices of fetal heart rate (FHR) variability were studied during labour in 20 women. The differential index, describing the short term variability, and the interval index, describing the long term variability, were measured from direct fetal electrocardiograms by a microprocessor‐based ‘on‐line’ system. The indices were measured from 10‐minute samples, once before the pethidine injection and nine times after the injection. The interval index decreased significantly (p <0·01) with the maximum effect 40 minutes after the injection. The differential index also showed a decreasing trend, with a maximum at 40 minutes, but the change was not significant. Both indices returned to the pre‐injection level after 60 minutes. The effect of pethidine on FHR variability during labour might cause difficulties in assessing the fetal state.