Why the study?
Does oral terbutaline improve fetal ventricular rate and survival in fetuses with complete atrioventricular block and rates <60?
Does oral terbutaline improve fetal ventricular rate and survival in fetuses with complete atrioventricular block and rates <60?
Oral terbutaline may provide an initial increase in fetal ventricular rate for fetuses with complete heart block, but the effect is often transient and does not guarantee survival.
May support cautious terbutaline trial in fetal complete AV block; hypothesis-generating and should not change practice without controlled data.
Between 1989 and 2000, 21 fetuses were diagnosed with complete atrioventricular block. Seven women with fetal ventricular rates of less than 60 were given oral terbutaline, and 6 of these had an initial increase in the fetal ventricular rate. Four fetuses (57%) maintained an increased average rate of 60 beats per minute and survived. Two fetuses returned to rates below 55 and died. The final fetus, with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, was unresponsive. Terbutaline, therefore, is initially effective in raising the fetal ventricular rate, but this effect may be transient.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Robinson et al. (2001) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 3 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: