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Does ethnicity have an effect on fetal behavior? A comparison of Asian and Caucasian populations

  • Uiko Hanaoka , Toshiyuki Hata EMAIL logo , Kenji Kanenishi , Mohamed Ahmed Mostafa AboEllail , Rina Uematsu , Yukihiko Konishi , Takashi Kusaka , Junko Noguchi , Genzo Marumo , Oliver Vasilj and Asim Kurjak
Published/Copyright: June 2, 2015
Journal of Perinatal Medicine
From the journal Journal of Perinatal Medicine Volume 44 Issue 2

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the ethnic difference in fetal behavior between Asian and Caucasian populations.

Methods: Fetal behavior was assesed by Kurjak’s antenatal neurodevelopmental test (KANET) using four-dimensional (4D) ultrasound between 28 and 38 weeks of gestation. Eighty-nine Japanese (representative of Asians) and seventy-eight Croatian (representative of Caucasians) pregnant women were studied. The total value of KANET score and values of each parameter (eight parameters) were compared.

Results: The total KANET score was normal in both populations, but there was a significant difference in total KANET scores between Japanese (median, 14; range, 10–16) and Croatian fetuses (median, 12; range, 10–15) (P<0.0001). When individual KANET parameters were compared, we found significant differences in four fetal movements (isolated head anteflexion, isolated eye blinking, facial alteration or mouth opening, and isolated leg movement). No significant differences were noted in the four other parameters (cranial suture and head circumference, isolated hand movement or hand to face movements, fingers movements, and gestalt of general movements).

Conclusion: Our results suggest that ethnicity should be considered when evaluating fetal behavior, especially during assessment of fetal facial expressions. Although there was a difference in the total KANET score between Japanese and Croatian populations, all the scores in both groups were within normal range. Our results indicate that ethnical differences in fetal behaviour do not affect the total KANET score, but close follow-up should be continued in some borderline cases.

Keywords: 4D ultrasound; Asian; Caucasian; ethnicity; fetal behavior; KANET score
Corresponding author: Toshiyuki Hata, MD, PhD, Department of Perinatology and Gynecology, Kagawa University Graduate School of Medicine, 1750-1 Ikenobe, Miki, Kagawa 761-0793, Japan, Tel.: +81-(0)87-891-2174, Fax: +81-(0)87-891-2175, E-mail:

Acknowledgments

The work reported in this paper was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas “Constructive Developmental Science” (No. 24119004), and Research Grant (No. 25462561) from The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan.

References

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The authors stated that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this article.

Received: 2015-1-23
Accepted: 2015-5-6
Published Online: 2015-6-2
Published in Print: 2016-3-1

©2016 by De Gruyter

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  27. Congress Calendar
  28. Congress Calendar
https://doi.org/10.1515/jpm-2015-0036
Keywords for this article
4D ultrasound; Asian; Caucasian; ethnicity; fetal behavior; KANET score

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Editorial
  3. Current topics on ultrasound in perinatology
  4. Recommendation and Guidelines for Perinatal Practice
  5. Ultrasound in Africa: what can really be done?
  6. 3D/4D sonography – any safety problem
  7. Controversial ultrasound findings in mid trimester pregnancy. Evidence based approach
  8. Academy’s Corner
  9. Sonoembryology by 3D HDlive silhouette ultrasound – what is added by the “see-through fashion”?
  10. Original articles – Obstetrics
  11. How effective is ultrasound-based screening for trisomy 18 without the addition of biochemistry at the time of late first trimester?
  12. Single center experience in selective feticide in high-order multiple pregnancy: clinical and ethical issues
  13. Diagnostic accuracy of cervical elastography in predicting labor induction success: a systematic review and meta-analysis
  14. Birth weight-related percentiles of brain ventricular system as a tool for assessment of posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus and ventricular enlargement
  15. First trimester erythropoietin (EPO) serum concentration as a potential marker for abnormal placentation disorders. Reference values for erythropoietin (EPO) concentration at 11–13+6 weeks of gestation
  16. Original articles – Fetus
  17. Nonimmune fetal ascites: identification of ultrasound findings predictive of perinatal death
  18. First trimester severe ductus venosus flow abnormalities in isolation or combination with other markers of aneuploidy and fetal anomalies
  19. Evaluation of the adequacy of reference charts for the accurate identification of fetuses with bone length below the 5th percentile
  20. Does ethnicity have an effect on fetal behavior? A comparison of Asian and Caucasian populations
  21. Accuracy of ultrasound in estimating fetal weight and growth discordancy in triplet pregnancies
  22. Fetal nasal bone length in the second trimester: comparison between population groups from different ethnic origins
  23. Pregnancy outcome and long-term follow-up of fetuses with isolated increased NT: a retrospective cohort study
  24. Effect of antenatal betamethasone administration on Doppler velocimetry of fetal and uteroplacental vessels: a prospective study
  25. Opinion paper
  26. Fetal cerebro-placental ratio and adverse perinatal outcome: systematic review and meta-analysis of the association and diagnostic performance
  27. Congress Calendar
  28. Congress Calendar
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