The Impact of Maternal Obesity on Fetal Heart Rate Variability During Labor: A Non-Linear Analysis Conference Paper uri icon

abstract

  • Obesity is a significant risk factor during pregnancy, affecting both the mother and the developing fetus. It has been demonstrated that obesity factor can lead to complications regarding the cardiac adaptation of the fetus and with respect to its autonomic nervous system. The objective of this study is to compare fetal heart rate variability during labor in obese and non-obese women. The dataset comprised fetal RR signals from parturient women. The signals were processed using nonlinear techniques, such as symbolic dynamics, including the σ-method, which considers four symbols and an α parameter that weights the mean value to assign symbols. The σ-method was performed using the RR intervals and ∆RR. In addition, surrogate data were used to test that the dynamic in the study groups is not found by chance. Significant differences were obtained using the σ-method (RR intervals) in both 2UV and 2LV indices, exhibiting higher values in the obese group. The σ-method (∆RR) yielded higher values in 1 V, and 2LV in the obese group, while 0 V decreases. Significant lower values were also obtained for forbidden words with the σ-method (RR intervals) in the fetuses of mothers with obesity. The results suggest that maternal obesity affects the fetus during labor, tending to cause sympathetic decompensation and increased parasympathetic activity, which can be observed as a different response regarding control group. These findings are relevant since the obesity during pregnancy has important healthy implications but also the expected response during labor is modified and a carefully approach should be taken by clinicians. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025.

publication date

  • 2025-01-01