Intrapartum fetal surveillance: a physiological approach

Continuous utero-placental circulation, and patent umbilical blood vessels ensure an uninterrupted transfer of oxygen and nutrients to the fetus as well as clearance of metabolic waste products. The onset of labour characterized by progressive and strong uterine contractions poses a threat to fetal oxygenation as a result of collapsing the spiral arterioles traversing the myometrium to supply the placental bed, and repetitive compression of the blood vessels within the umbilical cord. Human fetuses are equipped with compensatory mechanisms to cope with transient interruptions of blood supply during labour.

Source: Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine - June 5, 2022 Category: OBGYN Authors: Katherine Griffiths, Neerja Gupta, Edwin Chandraharan Tags: Review Source Type: research