The assessment of fetal behavior in early pregnancy: comparison between 2D and 4D sonographic scanning
-
Wiku Andonotopo
, Marijana Medic , Aida Salihagic-Kadic , Dragan Milenkovic , Nerea Maiz and Elena Scazzocchio
Abstract
Aim: To determine the accuracy of 4D sonography in the assessment of embryonic and early fetal motor activity in the first trimester of normal pregnancy, in comparison to the 2D sonography.
Methods: Fifty pregnant women between 6–14 weeks of gestation with singleton pregnancy were assigned for the investigation. Two dimensional and four dimensional recordings were displayed on the screen and recorded on the videotape during the 15 minutes observation period.
Results: General body, head and limb movements recorded by 2D sonography were notable by 4D technique in the same gestational age. These movements were presented collectively with maximum, minimum, and median frequencies during 15 minutes observation period. Spearman rank order correlation reached statistical significance (P<0.05) between the frequencies of all observed movement patterns assessed by two different techniques. Several movement patterns, such as sideway bending, hiccup, breathing movements, mouth opening and facial movements could be observed only by 2D sonographic technique in this period of gestation.
Conclusion: Presently, both 2D and 4D methods are required for the assessment of early fetal motor development and motor behavior. It is reasonable to expect that such technological improvement may provide some new information about the intrauterine motor activity and facilitate the prenatal detection of some neurological disorders.
References
1 Andonotopo W, A Kurjak, M Ivancic-Kosuta: Behaviour of anencephalic fetus studied by 4D ultrasound. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med17 (2005) 165Search in Google Scholar
2 Andonotopo W, M Stanojevic, A Kurjak, G Azumendi, JM Carrera: Assessment of fetal behaviour and general movements by four-dimensional sonography. Ultrasound Rev Obstet Gynecol4 (2004) 103Search in Google Scholar
3 Azumendi G, Kurjak: Three-dimensional and four-dimensional sonography in the study of the fetal face. Ultrasound Rev Obstet Gynecol3 (2003) 1Search in Google Scholar
4 de Vries JIP, GHA Visser, HFR Prechtl: The emergence of fetal behaviour I: Qualitative aspects. Early Hum Dev7 (1982) 301Search in Google Scholar
5 de Vries JIP, GHA Visser, HFR Prechtl: The emergence of fetal behaviour II: Quantitative aspects. Early Hum Dev12 (1985) 99Search in Google Scholar
6 Joseph R: Fetal brain and cognitive development. Dev Rev20 (1999) 8110.1006/drev.1999.0486Search in Google Scholar
7 Kostovic I, M Judas, Z Petanjek, G Simic: Ontogenesis of goal-directed behaviour: anatomo-functional considerations. Int J Psychophysiol19 (1995) 85Search in Google Scholar
8 Kostovic I, M Judas: Transient patterns of organization of the human fetal brain. Croat Med J2 (1998) 107Search in Google Scholar
9 Kostovic I, M Judas, M Rados, P Hrabac: Laminar organization of the human fetal cerebrum revealed by histochemical markers and magnetic resonance imaging. Cerebral Cortex12 (2002) 536Search in Google Scholar
10 Kurjak A, N Vecek, T Hafner, T Bozek, B Funduk-Kurjak, B Ujevic: Prenatal diagnosis: what does four-dimensional ultrasound add? J Perinat Med30 (2002) 57Search in Google Scholar
11 Kurjak A, N Vecek, S Kupesic, G Azumendi, M Solak: Four-dimensional ultrasound: how much does it improve perinatal practice? In: Carrera JM, FA Chervenak, A Kurjak, (eds): Controversies in Perinatal Medicine, Studies on the Fetus as a Patient. Parthenon Publishing, New York 2003, p 222Search in Google Scholar
12 Kurjak A, M Stanojevic, W Andonotopo, A Salihagic-Kadic, JM Carrera, G Azumendi: Behavioural pattern continuity from prenatal to postnatal life – a study by four-dimensional (4D) ultrasonography. J Perinat Med32 (2004) 346Search in Google Scholar
13 Kurjak A, M Stanojevic, G Azumendi, JM Carrera: The potential of four-dimensional (4D) ultrasonography in the assessment of fetal awareness. J Perinat Med33 (2005) 46Search in Google Scholar
14 Kurjak A, G Azumendi, N Vecek, S Kupesic, M Solak, D Varga, et al.: Fetal hand movements and facial expression in normal pregnancy studied by four-dimensional sonography. J Perinat Med31 (2003) 496Search in Google Scholar
15 Kurjak A, JM Carrera, M Stanojevic, W Andonotopo, G Azumendi, E Scazzocchio, et al.: The role of 4D sonography in the neurological assessment of early human development. Ultrasound Rev Obstet Gynecol4 (2004) 148Search in Google Scholar
16 Kurjak A, RK Pooh, LT Merce, JM Carrera, A Salihagic-Kadic, W Andonotopo: Structural and functional early human development assessed by three-dimensional (3D) and four-dimensional (4D) sonography. Fertil Steril (2005) (in press)10.1016/j.fertnstert.2005.03.084Search in Google Scholar
17 Kurjak A, M Stanojevic, W Andonotopo, E Scazzochio-Duenas, G Azumendi, JM Carrera: Fetal behaviour assessed in all three trimesters of normal pregnancy by four dimensional (4D) sonography. Croat Med J (2005) (in press)Search in Google Scholar
18 Lightman SL, TR Insel, CD Ingram: New genomic avenues in behavioural neuroendocrinology. Eur J Neurosci16 (2002) 369Search in Google Scholar
19 Morokuma S, K Fukushima, N Kawai, M Tomonaga, S Satoh, H Nakano: Fetal habituation correlates with functional brain development. Behav Brain Res31 (2004) 459Search in Google Scholar
20 Nijhuis JG: Neurobehavioural Development of the fetal brain. In: Nijhuis JG (ed): Fetal Behaviour: Developmental and Perinatal Aspects. Oxford University Press, Oxford 1992, p 489Search in Google Scholar
21 Pomeroy SL, JJ Volpe: Development of the nervous system. In: Polin RA, (eds) Fow WW: Fetal and Neonatal Physiology. WB Saunders, Philadelphia 1992, p 1491Search in Google Scholar
22 Pooh RK, T Ogura: Normal and abnormal fetal hand positioning and movement in early pregnancy detected by three and four-dimensional ultrasound. Ultrasound Rev Obstet Gynecol4 (2004) 46Search in Google Scholar
23 Prechtl FHR: Qualitative changes of spontaneous movements in fetus and preterm infant are a marker of neurological dysfunction. Early Hum Dev23 (1990) 15110.1016/0378-3782(90)90011-7Search in Google Scholar
24 Prechtl HF: State of the art of a new functional assessment of the young nervous system. An early predictor of cerebral palsy. Early Hum Dev50 (1997) 110.1016/S0378-3782(97)00088-1Search in Google Scholar
25 Roodenburg PJ, JW Wladimiroff, A van Es, HFR Prechtl: Classification and quantitative aspects of fetal movements during the second half of normal pregnancy. Early Hum Dev25 (1991) 19Search in Google Scholar
26 Salihagic-Kadic A, M Medic, A Kurjak: Neurophysiology of fetal behaviour. Ultrasound Rev Obstet Gynecol4 (2004) 2Search in Google Scholar
27 Seme-Ciglenecki P: Predictive value of assessment of general movements for neurological development of high-risk preterm infants: comparative study. Croat Med J6 (2003) 721Search in Google Scholar
28 Stafstrom CE, D Johnston, JM Wehner, JR Sheppard: Spontaneous neural activity in fetal brain reaggregate culture. Neuroscience10 (1980) 1681Search in Google Scholar
29 Visser GHA, RN Laurini, JIP Vries, DJ Beckedam, HF Prechtl: Abnormal motor behaviour in anencephalic fetuses. Early Human Dev12 (1985) 173Search in Google Scholar
30 Visser GH, EJ Mulder, DJ Bekedam, E van Ballegooie, HF Prechtl: Fetal Behaviour in type-1 diabetic women. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol21 (1986) 315Search in Google Scholar
31 Wheeler T, G Gennser, R Lindvall, AJ Murrils: Changes in the fetal heart rate associated with fetal breathing and fetal movement. Br J Obstet Gynecol12 (1980) 1068Search in Google Scholar
©2005 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin New York
Articles in the same Issue
- Traumatic experience with vacuum extraction – influence of personal preparation, physiology, and treatment during labor
- Early adequate maternal weight gain is associated with fewer small for gestational age triplets
- The value of quantitative ultrasound tissue characterization of the cervix and rapid fetal fibronectin in predicting preterm delivery
- The best marker combination using the integrated screening test approach for detecting various chromosomal aneuploidies
- Effects of arecoline in relaxing human umbilical vessels and inhibiting endothelial cell growth
- The assessment of fetal behavior in early pregnancy: comparison between 2D and 4D sonographic scanning
- White matter damage and chemokine induction in developing rat brain after intrauterine infection
- The midsagittal view of the fetal brain: a useful landmark in recognizing the cause of fetal cerebral ventriculomegaly
- Special relationships between fetal inflammatory response syndrome and bronchopulmonary dysplasia in neonates
- Effects of open vs. closed system endotracheal suctioning on cerebral blood flow velocities in mechanically ventilated extremely low birth weight infants
- Variability in pain expression characteristics in former preterm infants
- Neonatal pneumothorax: comparison between neonatal transfers and inborn infants
- Indications and limitations for a neonatal pulse oximetry screening of critical congenital heart disease
- Intracervical application of synthetic hydrogel sealant for preterm prelabor rupture of membranes: a case report
- Gender dependent association between perinatal morbidity and estrogen receptor-alpha Pvull polymorphism
- Neonatal length and cranial circumference are reduced in human pregnancies at term after antepartum administration of betamethasone
- Cesarean section upon request: is it appropriate for everybody?
Articles in the same Issue
- Traumatic experience with vacuum extraction – influence of personal preparation, physiology, and treatment during labor
- Early adequate maternal weight gain is associated with fewer small for gestational age triplets
- The value of quantitative ultrasound tissue characterization of the cervix and rapid fetal fibronectin in predicting preterm delivery
- The best marker combination using the integrated screening test approach for detecting various chromosomal aneuploidies
- Effects of arecoline in relaxing human umbilical vessels and inhibiting endothelial cell growth
- The assessment of fetal behavior in early pregnancy: comparison between 2D and 4D sonographic scanning
- White matter damage and chemokine induction in developing rat brain after intrauterine infection
- The midsagittal view of the fetal brain: a useful landmark in recognizing the cause of fetal cerebral ventriculomegaly
- Special relationships between fetal inflammatory response syndrome and bronchopulmonary dysplasia in neonates
- Effects of open vs. closed system endotracheal suctioning on cerebral blood flow velocities in mechanically ventilated extremely low birth weight infants
- Variability in pain expression characteristics in former preterm infants
- Neonatal pneumothorax: comparison between neonatal transfers and inborn infants
- Indications and limitations for a neonatal pulse oximetry screening of critical congenital heart disease
- Intracervical application of synthetic hydrogel sealant for preterm prelabor rupture of membranes: a case report
- Gender dependent association between perinatal morbidity and estrogen receptor-alpha Pvull polymorphism
- Neonatal length and cranial circumference are reduced in human pregnancies at term after antepartum administration of betamethasone
- Cesarean section upon request: is it appropriate for everybody?