Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Archives of Disease in Childhood. Fetal and Neonatal Edition logoLink to Archives of Disease in Childhood. Fetal and Neonatal Edition
. 1995 May;72(3):F168–F171. doi: 10.1136/fn.72.3.f168

Fetal behaviour and the sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

J Smoleniec 1, D James 1
PMCID: PMC2528451  PMID: 7796231

Abstract

To examine whether differences in sleep maturation could be identified before birth, behavioural studies were carried out in 28 fetuses. Studies were possible in all 28 fetuses at 28 weeks, but only in 26 fetuses at 36 weeks (two fetuses delivered before 36 weeks). The risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) was determined using the Oxford SIDS scoring system. The fetuses at greater risk of SIDS had coincidence of behavioural characteristics for a significantly lower percentage of the time than those at low risk. This difference reached significance (p < or = 0.05) only at 36 weeks.

Full text

PDF
F168

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Arduini D., Rizzo G., Giorlandino C., Valensise H., Dell'Acqua S., Romanini C. The development of fetal behavioural states: a longitudinal study. Prenat Diagn. 1986 Mar-Apr;6(2):117–124. doi: 10.1002/pd.1970060207. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Arduini D., Rizzo G., Massacesi M., Romanini C., Mancuso S. Longitudinal assessment of behavioural transitions in healthy human fetuses during the third trimester of pregnancy. J Perinat Med. 1991;19(1-2):67–72. doi: 10.1515/jpme.1991.19.1-2.67. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bakketeig L. S., Eik-Nes S. H., Jacobsen G., Ulstein M. K., Brodtkorb C. J., Balstad P., Eriksen B. C., Jörgensen N. P. Randomised controlled trial of ultrasonographic screening in pregnancy. Lancet. 1984 Jul 28;2(8396):207–211. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(84)90492-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Brooks J. G., Fleming P. J., Berry P. J., Golding J. Evaluation of the Oxford and Sheffield SIDS risk prediction scores. Pediatr Pulmonol. 1992 Nov;14(3):171–179. doi: 10.1002/ppul.1950140306. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Chacon M. A., Tildon J. T. Elevated values of tri-iodothyronine in victims of sudden infant death syndrome. J Pediatr. 1981 Nov;99(5):758–760. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(81)80406-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Fedrick J. Sudden unexpected death in infants in the Oxford Record Linkage area: the mother. Br J Prev Soc Med. 1974 May;28(2):93–97. doi: 10.1136/jech.28.2.93. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Fedrick J. Sudden unexpected death in infants in the Oxford record linkage area. An analysis with respect to time and place. Br J Prev Soc Med. 1973 Nov;27(4):217–224. doi: 10.1136/jech.27.4.217. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Fedrick J. Sudden unexpected death in the Oxford Record Linkage Area. Details of pregnancy, delivery, and abnormality in the infant. Br J Prev Soc Med. 1974 Aug;28(3):164–171. doi: 10.1136/jech.28.3.164. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Gould J. B., Lee A. F., Morelock S. The relationship between sleep and sudden infant death. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1988;533:62–77. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1988.tb37234.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Harper R. M., Leake B., Hoppenbrouwers T., Sterman M. B., McGinty D. J., Hodgman J. Polygraphic studies of normal infants and infants at risk for the sudden infant death syndrome: heart rate and variability as a function of state. Pediatr Res. 1978 Jul;12(7):778–785. doi: 10.1203/00006450-197807000-00008. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Hunt C. E., Brouillette R. T. Sudden infant death syndrome: 1987 perspective. J Pediatr. 1987 May;110(5):669–678. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(87)80001-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Milner A. D. Recent theories on the cause of cot death. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1987 Nov 28;295(6610):1366–1368. doi: 10.1136/bmj.295.6610.1366. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Milner A. D., Ruggins N. Sudden infant death syndrome. BMJ. 1989 Mar 18;298(6675):689–690. doi: 10.1136/bmj.298.6675.689. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Nijhuis J. G., Prechtl H. F., Martin C. B., Jr, Bots R. S. Are there behavioural states in the human fetus? Early Hum Dev. 1982 Apr;6(2):177–195. doi: 10.1016/0378-3782(82)90106-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. PARMELEE A. H., Jr Sleep patterns in infancy. A study of one infant from birth to eight months of age. Acta Paediatr. 1961 Mar;50:160–170. doi: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1961.tb08035.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. PARMELEE A. H., Jr, WENNER W. H., SCHULZ H. R. INFANT SLEEP PATTERNS: FROM BIRTH TO 16 WEEKS OF AGE. J Pediatr. 1964 Oct;65:576–582. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(64)80291-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Peters T. J., Golding J. Prediction of sudden infant death syndrome: an independent evaluation of four scoring methods. Stat Med. 1986 Mar-Apr;5(2):113–126. doi: 10.1002/sim.4780050203. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Pillai M., Garrett C., James D. Bizarre fetal behaviour associated with lethal congenital anomalies: a case report. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 1991 May 10;39(3):215–218. doi: 10.1016/0028-2243(91)90060-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Pillai M., James D. Absence of fetal breathing and abnormal fetal behavior in prolonged preterm ruptured membranes: case report. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 1992 Jan 1;2(1):44–47. doi: 10.1046/j.1469-0705.1992.02010044.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Pillai M., James D. Are the behavioural states of the newborn comparable to those of the fetus? Early Hum Dev. 1990 Apr;22(1):39–49. doi: 10.1016/0378-3782(90)90024-d. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Pillai M., James D. Behavioural states in normal mature human fetuses. Arch Dis Child. 1990 Jan;65(1 Spec No):39–43. doi: 10.1136/adc.65.1_spec_no.39. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Pillai M., James D. Development of human fetal behavior: a review. Fetal Diagn Ther. 1990;5(1):15–32. doi: 10.1159/000263530. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Salvesen K. A., Bakketeig L. S., Eik-nes S. H., Undheim J. O., Okland O. Routine ultrasonography in utero and school performance at age 8-9 years. Lancet. 1992 Jan 11;339(8785):85–89. doi: 10.1016/0140-6736(92)90998-i. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Schechtman V. L., Harper R. M., Wilson A. J., Southall D. P. Sleep state organization in normal infants and victims of the sudden infant death syndrome. Pediatrics. 1992 May;89(5 Pt 1):865–870. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Sterman M. B., Hodgman J. The role of sleep and arousal in SIDS. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1988;533:48–61. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1988.tb37233.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Wigfield R. E., Fleming P. J., Berry P. J., Rudd P. T., Golding J. Can the fall in Avon's sudden infant death rate be explained by changes in sleeping position? BMJ. 1992 Feb 1;304(6822):282–283. doi: 10.1136/bmj.304.6822.282. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Wu H. S., Gould J. B., Lee A. F., Fineberg N. Factors affecting sleep spindle activity during infancy. Dev Med Child Neurol. 1980 Jun;22(3):344–351. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.1980.tb03714.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. ter Haar G. R. Safety of routine ultrasound. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 1992 Jul 1;2(4):237–238. doi: 10.1046/j.1469-0705.1992.02040237.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Archives of Disease in Childhood. Fetal and Neonatal Edition are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES