Objective: The study was designed to objectively evaluate the effect of maternal intravenous glucose infusion on fetal activity.
Study design: Twenty-one volunteers at 30.7 +/- 3.0 weeks' gestation were objectively evaluated for fetal activity with a Doppler monitor before and during an intravenous glucose test. Baseline fetal activity monitoring began 10 minutes before a fasting blood glucose level was obtained. A standard 1-hour intravenous glucose tolerance test was then performed, and fetal activity monitoring was continued for the duration of the test. Twenty-one women at 29.8 +/- 3.0 weeks' gestation volunteered to serve as controls and were continuously monitored for fetal activity. The control patients did not receive intravenous glucose.
Results: Linear regression analysis revealed an increase in fetal activity in both groups; however, the increase in the glucose infusion group was significantly greater than in the control group.
Conclusions: Maternal glucose infusion causes short-term stimulation of fetal activity; however, some other factor in the monitoring process also stimulates fetal activity.