Prenatal Diagnosis of Fetal Arrhythmias and Assessment of AutonomicNervous System Activity by Fetal Magnetocardiography

摘要

Magnetocardiography (MCG) is a technique that enables the noncontact, noninvasive measurement of electrocardiographicphenomena, and fetal magnetocardiography (FMCG) is extremely useful for the analysis of fetal electrocardiographicphenomena. We have used FMCG for the diagnosis and treatment of a range of fetal arrhythmias, and to performcomparative studies of autonomic nervous system activity in fetuses with normal growth and those with fetal growthrestriction by analyzing fetal heart rate variability. In terms of fetal arrhythmias, fatal long QT syndrome was accuratelydiagnosed prenatally using FMCG, and pregnancy was maintained until delivery at 37 weeks gestation. With regard to fetalautonomic nervous system activity, there was a pronounced increase in sympathetic nervous activity among fetuseswith normal growth in the second half of pregnancy.