Correlation between maternal anxiety, reactivity of fetal cerebral circulation to auditory stimulation, and birth outcome in normotensive and gestational hypertensive women

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Abstract

This study investigated the correlation between maternal anxiety and blood flow changes through the fetal middle cerebral artery (MCA) after defined acoustic stimulation in 43 normotensive (C) and 40 gestational hypertensive (GH) subjects. Neonatal outcomes (gestational age at birth, Apgar score, birth weight) in the C and GH groups were analyzed. State (STAI-S) and trait (STAI-T) anxiety was assessed using Spielberger's questionnaire. The MCA blood flow was assessed once between 28 and 41 weeks of gestation using color Doppler ultrasound before and after application of defined acoustic stimulus. Relative size of the Pulsatility index (Pi) change (RePi) was calculated. The general hypotheses were: (1) women in GH group would have higher anxiety; (2) higher anxiety correlates with higher RePi change and poorer neonatal outcome; (3) fetuses from the GH group would have poorer neonatal outcome. Subjects from the GH group had higher STAI-T and RePi compared to the C group. A positive correlation between RePi and STAI-S, STAI-T, and systolic/diastolic blood pressure was found in both groups. There were more preterm deliveries in the GH group compared to the C group. A significant effect of STAI-T on body weight was observed in the C and GH group. There was a predictive effect of STAI-T and RePi on the C group, and STAI-S, STAI-T, diastolic blood pressure, and RePi on the GH group in terms of neonatal body weight. This study demonstrates an association between antenatal anxiety in GH women and increased fetal cerebral circulation in response to defined auditory stimulation.

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