Abnormal foetal heart rate pattern and their relationship to amniotic fluid erythropoietin levels

Abstract

Abstract:OBJECTİVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the relationship between abnormal foetal heart rate pattern and erythropoietin concentrations in amniotic fluid, umbilical cord, maternal plasma and 1 and 5 minutes Apgar scores. STUDY DESİGN: Twenty-one patients with abnormal FHR patterns in the non-stress test were included to this study. All patients underwent caesarean section. Amniotic fluid, maternal and umbilical cord samples were obtained for erythropoietin levels. We measured amniotic fluid erythropoietin, maternal serum erythropoietin and umbilical cord blood erythropoietin by radio-immunoassay. Apgar scores at 1 and 5 minutes were recorded. RESULTS: Umbilical cord, amniotic fluid and maternal serum erythropoietin levels were found 62.7±67.3 mU/ml, 26.8±22.1 mU/ml and 36.1±38.9 mU/ml respectively. UA-EPO levels were higher than AF-EPO (p=.016). MS-EPO and UA-EPO levels were similar (p=.070). Similarly, MS-EPO and AF-EPO levels were not different (p=.523). Four of the 21 infants had low Apgar scores at 1 and 5 minutes. Three of four patients MS-EPO, AF-EPO and UA-EPO levels were normal. In only one of four patients UA-EPO level was found elevated but AF-EPO and MS-EPO levels were normal. Seventeen infants had normal Apgar scores despite an abnormal foetal heart rate pattern. CONCLUSİON: We conclude that abnormal foetal heart rate pattern may signal imminent foetal risk but do not confirm foetal hypoxia. We did not find any correlation between abnormal foetal heart rate pattern, AF-EPO, UA-EPO and MS-EPO levels, and Apgar scores of 1 and 5 minutes.