Journal article

Publication year: 2014

Pages: 56-63

Journal: Zeitschrift für Geburtshilfe & Neonatologie

Volume number: 218

Issue number: 2

ISSN: 0948-2393

eISSN: 1439-1651

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0034-1371849

Publisher: Georg Thieme Verlag

Abstract: 
Numerous maternal (diabetes, preeclampsia) and fetal pathologies (uteroplacental dysfunction, hydrops, infection, congenital heart disease) can lead to cardiac dysfunction in the fetus. This includes increase of pre- and afterload, compression of the heart, myocardial damage, hypoxia and hyperglycemia. Beside already established methods like m-mode and pulse-waved Doppler, new promising technologies like tissue Doppler and speckle tracking are available for monitoring fetal cardiac function. Some of these new techniques have not been part of clinical routine yet because no validation has been performed so far and/or the technique is too time-consuming. Other technologies are currently being tested and only part of research projects. Innovations like speckle tracking that have its seeds in adult cardiology, are still limited because of the smallness of the fetal heart, the higher heart rate, fetal and maternal moving artefacts and finally because of a missing fetal ECG signal. Therefore their application should be performed critically.

Harvard Citation style: Enzensberger, C., Tenzer, A., Degenhardt, J., Kawecki, A. and Axt-Fliedner, R. (2014) Assessment of Fetal Cardiac Function - Established and Novel Methods, Zeitschrift für Geburtshilfe & Neonatologie, 218(2), pp. 56-63. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0034-1371849

APA Citation style: Enzensberger, C., Tenzer, A., Degenhardt, J., Kawecki, A., & Axt-Fliedner, R. (2014). Assessment of Fetal Cardiac Function - Established and Novel Methods. Zeitschrift für Geburtshilfe & Neonatologie. 218(2), 56-63. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0034-1371849