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The assessment of persistent bradycardia in prenatal life
Author(s) -
CRAWFORD DIANE,
CHAPMAN MICHAEL,
ALLAN LINDSEY
Publication year - 1985
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.1471-0528.1985.tb03074.x
Subject(s) - bradycardia , medicine , sinus bradycardia , heart block , heart disease , cardiology , sinus (botany) , fetus , pregnancy , heart rate , electrocardiography , anesthesia , blood pressure , botany , genetics , biology , genus
Summary. Twelve patients with persistent fetal bradycardia were referred for echocardiographic assessment; in 10 patients the fetus had complete heart block, six isolated and four with associated structural heart disease. In the remaining two patients an atrial arrhythmia was producing a fetal sinus bradycardia. Complete heart block with structural heart disease has a poor prognosis. Isolated complete heart block has a good prognosis if the pregnancy is carefully managed. A sinus bradycardia due to atrial ectopic beats is a benign arrhythmia. Echocar diographic assessment of the heart can give an accurate prognosis in fetal bradycardia and provide a basis for appropriate obstetric management.