Fetal Sleep and Spontaneous Behavior In Utero: Animal and Clinical Studies

The term fetal behavior includes fetal sleep states, which in precocial mammalian species (i.e., those born relatively mature at birth) develop in late gestation, along with the fetal physiological processes, such as fetal body movements and breathing activity, cardiovascular function, blood gas, and acid-base status, which are linked to fetal sleep states. Since ~1970, as a result of technological and technical advances, there has been significant advances in our understanding of fetal behavior in man and animals, and also the development of fetal monitoring techniques in human pregnancy that are based on the changes in fetal behavioral variables that are altered in pathophysiological complications of pregnancy. In species such as sheep, guinea pigs, and primates, including the human, fetal sleep states, comprised primarily of quiet sleep and REM sleep, develop in the second half of gestation. Fetal motility in the form of body and breathing movements develop earlier in gestation, but when fetal sleep states develop they become linked to these states. In all species, fetal breathing is episodic occurring about 40 % of the time. In the fetal lamb, fetal breathing activity occurs only in REM sleep, whereas in primates, breathing occurs in both sleep states although the character of the breathing movements changes with sleep state. Fetal body movements occur in both sleep states, but vigorous body movements occur mainly during brief periods of a more aroused state, in whic...
Source: Springer protocols feed by Neuroscience - Category: Neuroscience Source Type: news