[Collection of autologous blood during pregnancy and fetal safety. Computer analysis of fetal heart rate].

BACKGROUND

This study aims at objectively evaluating the impact on the fetus of a sudden maternal blood withdrawal, through a computer analysis of the various aspects of the cardiotocographic pattern before and after one autologous blood unit predonation from near term pregnant women.

METHODS

For the collection of cardiotocographic data, a Sonicaid Team fetal monitor was used; it is a monitoring system which uses Doppler ultrasound impulses and autocorrelates the received Doppler signals with varied signals of frequency, connected to Sonicaid System 8000, a program for "objective" cardiotocographic analysis according to the so-called Dawes-Redman criteria.

RESULTS

From the statistic comparison of Non Stress Tests preceeding and following predonation, some statistically significant differences have sometimes emerged on the level of specific parameters.

CONCLUSIONS

In particular, the general variation of fetal heart frequency and fetal reactivity resulted higher after predonation, even though they were within absolute normality, justifying the suspicion that the stress of autologous predonation practice might produce some indefinite disturbance to fetal activity/rest rhythm.