Pre labour fetal cardiac function and its relationship with intrapartum fetal compromise and neonatal status at term

To prospectively investigate the relationship between fetal cardiac function and Doppler parameters with intrapartum fetal compromise (IFC) in term appropriately grown fetuses prior to labour. Secondary outcomes were to correlate prenatal cardiac function with neonatal acid base status, intrapartum fetal heart rate abnormalities adverse neonatal outcomes.This was a blinded, prospective, observational, cohort study, at the Mater Mother's Hospital, Brisbane, Australia. A cohort of 270 women with uncomplicated singleton pregnancies underwent fortnightly ultrasound from 36 weeks until delivery. Fetal cardiac output and blood flow parameters were assessed and correlated with intrapartum and neonatal outcomes.Two hundred and seventy women were included in the analysis, of which 18.9% had an emergency operative delivery for IFC. Fetuses that had emergency delivery for IFC showed lower mean left ventricular cardiac output (LVCO) (560 + 44 ml/min vs. 617 + 72 ml/min,