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

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Prenatal and Postnatal Determinants of Development

Part of the book series: Neuromethods ((NM,volume 109))

Abstract

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 which vigorous breathing and fetal swallowing also occur. However this aroused state is unlikely to represent wakefulness. Although they do not fulfil the functions that they will after birth, fetal breathing and body movements are important for the development of the lung and musculoskeletal system, respectively. Uterine activity, in the form of pre-labor contractions, which appear to occur in all species, can also affect fetal behavioral activity, particularly in species, like sheep, where the contractions are quiet long (5 min). There are also circadian rhythms in breathing and body movements, and various other fetal variables, with a higher incidence breathing and motility at night. Evidence from sheep indicates that the fetal circadian rhythms are derived from the maternal melatonin rhythm via maternal to fetal transfer of maternal melatonin. Fetal movements are associated with transient changes in fetal heart rate, usually accelerations, and this response forms the basis of the non-stress test and is an element of the fetal biophysical profile score, which are commonly used diagnostic methods to assess fetal well-being in human pregnancies. The transient accelerations in fetal heart rate increase cardiac output and umbilical blood flow. In contrast to the situation after birth, fetal vascular oxygenation fluctuates consistently with transient decreases due to episodic fetal breathing and body movements and uterine contractions. In sheep, increasing the frequency of these uterine contractions above the normal rate, via pulsatile maternal intravenous oxytocin administration, has maturational effects on neural and cardiovascular functions. Overall the data indicate that in late gestation, the healthy fetus exhibits an organized constellation of cyclic activities, including motility, breathing activity, ingestion, and cardiorespiratory function, all of which are linked to the regular alterations in behavioral states. In all species studied, there is a progressive decrease in fetal motility with advancing gestation and there are also reductions in fetal motility with fetal metabolic compromise. More studies are required in the human and other species to more precisely define the changes in fetal behavioral and related variables with advancing gestation and with deteriorations in fetal metabolic status.

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  1. Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics & Genecology, University of British Columbia, 950 West 28th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z4

    Dan Rurak

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  1. Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Monash Medical Centre, The Ritchie Centre, Melbourne, Australia

    David W. Walker

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Rurak, D. (2016). Fetal Sleep and Spontaneous Behavior In Utero: Animal and Clinical Studies. In: Walker, D. (eds) Prenatal and Postnatal Determinants of Development. Neuromethods, vol 109. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-3014-2_6

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