[Direct fetal electrocardiography].

Abstract

The advancement in bioelectronics applied to medicine has made possible to carry out, with a high degree of fidelity, the study of the electrical events of the fetal heart. One of the methods in use is the direct or internal method, which offers the advantage of enabling the clear recognition of the different phases of the electrocardiogram, even during labor. An analysis of some parameters of the direct fetal electrocardiogram was carried on in normal term fetuses and whose mothers were in good health, and the parturition was normal. The parameters studied were: heart rate, P-R interval duration, the P wave, the QRS complex, the ventricular activation time, the P-R segment behaviour, intraventricular conduction, and RS-T and T wave changes. The first five items were submitted to statistical analysis for the calculation of the mean value, standard deviation and standard error. The practical application of the results is discussed in terms of deductive approach to the direct fetal electrocardiogram. It is concluded that the method is valuable for the prompt recognition of fetal distress mainly during labor.