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The Effect of Intermittent Maternal Fasting on Computerized Fetal Heart Tracing

Journal of Perinatology volume 25, pages 90–92 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To determine effects of maternal fasting on antepartum computerized fetal heart tracing analysis.

STUDY DESIGN:

This was a cross-sectional study of two groups of healthy pregnant women who were recruited, a fasting and a nonfasting control group. Each pregnant woman gave a blood sample, and had a computerized fetal heart tracing.

RESULTS:

A total of 124 pregnant women were studied. The mean hours since the last oral intake were significantly different between the two groups (p=0.003). Fetuses of fasted mothers had fewer episodes of large acceleration compared to the controls (p=0.001). This difference was significantly associated with maternal appreciation of fetal movement (p=0.003).

CONCLUSION:

The number of large accelerations in computerized fetal heart tracing is decreased in pregnant women abstaining from food and water.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Mrs Letha Thomas, research nurse at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab University for her valuable help and organization.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates

    Hisham M Mirghani MRCOG, Sarath Weerasinghe FRCOG, Shamsaa Al-Awar FRCS & Mutairu Ezimokhai FRCOG

  2. Preventive Medicine Department, Maternal Child Health Centre, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates

    Lolowa Abdulla MBBS

Authors
  1. Hisham M Mirghani MRCOG
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  2. Sarath Weerasinghe FRCOG
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  3. Shamsaa Al-Awar FRCS
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  4. Lolowa Abdulla MBBS
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  5. Mutairu Ezimokhai FRCOG
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Mirghani, H., Weerasinghe, S., Al-Awar, S. et al. The Effect of Intermittent Maternal Fasting on Computerized Fetal Heart Tracing. J Perinatol 25, 90–92 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7211221

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