Association of Nonreassuring Fetal Heart Rate Patterns and Subsequent Cerebral Palsy in Pregnancies with Intrauterine Bacterial Infection

We evaluated an association of nonreassuring fetal heart rate (FHR) patterns and subsequent cerebral palsy (CP) in pregnancies with intrauterine bacterial infection. Among 10,030 infants born during 1995 to 2000, 139 were complicated with acute intrauterine bacterial infection in labor. The FHR patterns 2 hours immediately before delivery were interpreted according to the guidelines of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. The correlations between the FHR patterns and umbilical blood gases, as well as FHR patterns and CP were studied. Statistics included unpaired t test, contingency table with chi (2) and Fisher test, and one-way analysis of variance with Bonferroni/Dunn test. Fifteen infants (11%) developed CP at 2 years or older. Nonreassuring FHR patterns including recurrent late deceleration, severe variable deceleration, and prolonged deceleration occurred in 24% of pregnancies with intrauterine infection. Incidence of CP was not different according to the FHR deceleration patterns or umbilical pH values. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that fetal tachycardia (OR, 11; 95% CI, 1.8 to 67) and lower gestational age (< 34 weeks; OR, 9.4; 95% CI, 0.96 to 93) was associated with CP in intrauterine infection. Nonreassuring FHR patterns were increased in intrauterine infection. CP occurred more frequently and was associated with tachycardia and lower gestational age, but not with FHR deceleration patterns or acidemia, suggesting different pathophysiology from acute hypoxia-ischemia.