Carlotta Boni

Ultrasound estimated fetal weight slightly below the median is associated with increased risk of spontaneous preterm birth.

This study investigates the possible relationship between ultrasound estimated fetal weight (EFW) at third trimester and the risk of preterm birth following spontaneous preterm labor in otherwise uncomplicated pregnancies.

Diagnosis of Fetal Distress

Fetal distress is a very broad term, which can be used in many clinical situations. Although it is difficult to give a precise clinical definition, obstetricians usually use this term to indicate that the fetus is becoming hypoxic. Immediate delivery has to be considered, because neurological damage may occur when the fetal brain is deprived of oxygen.

Ultrasound and fetal stress: study of the fetal blink-startle reflex evoked by acoustic stimuli

The development of ultrasound techniques opened a window on the prenatal world. Since the early 1990s, bidimensional ultrasonography has played an important role in the study of certain fetal behaviours in attempts to understand fetal well-being. Certain fetal attitudes can be likened to those subsequently seen in newborns [1]. Study of fetal circulation by Doppler ultrasonography in parts of the fetal body such as the middle cerebral arteries has also clearly shown that certain pathophysiological and pathological conditions cause a redistribution of normal fetal circulation, indicating a change in fetal status.