Effects of intrapartum zidovudine therapy on fetal heart rate parameters in women with human immunodeficiency virus infection

Objective: To determine the effects of intrapartum maternal administration of zidovudine on fetal heart rate (FHR) parameters in women infected with t he human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Methods: Term HIV-infected women who delivered at our institution (1995/1998) were identified by medical record s coding. Sixty minutes of FHR tracing prior to zidovudine administration a nd 60 min of FHR tracing 2 h after initiation of therapy were reviewed by 3 perinatologists blinded to patient status. Data were compared with paired t tests; p < 0.05 was considered significant. Inter- and intra-observer FHR interpretation variation were calculated. Results: Ten patients met study criteria. Their demographic data included: Maternal age 26.5 +/- 6.5 years, gestational age 38.9 +/- 1.3 weeks, median parity 2 (range 0-3). Eighty pe rcent were African American. There were no significant differences in FHR p arameters after intravenous zidovudine therapy (pretreatment versus 2 h aft er treatment) with respect to FHR baseline (p = 0.2), FHR variability (p = 0.3), or the number of accelerations (p = 0.1). There was also no differenc e in the number of variable (moderate or severe), early, or prolonged decel erations following zidovudine infusion. Conclusion: Two hours of continuous intrapartum intravenous infusion of zidovudine does not alter any paramete r of the FHR in the laboring HIV-infected gravida. Copyright (C) 2001 S. Ka rger AG, Basel.