Fetal paroxysaml supraventricular tachycardia recorded by intrauterine scalp electrocardiography.

Fetal and neonatal paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PST) requires attention because it may be associated with cardiac pathology and neonatal demise. Continuous monitoring of fetal heart rate and the ability to record clearly interpretable electrocardiograms from fetal scalp electrodes makes discovery and diagnoses of these fetal arrhythmias relatively simple. This report describes the discovery of this arrhythmia during routine DOPPLER ultrasound fetal monitoring and its documentation as PST by fetal scalp electrocardiography. (Fig. 1) The fetal heart rate during PST was 300 BPM, higher than previously reported. In contrast to previous reports, it did not appear post-natally and no pathology was found. Although the significance of transient fetal PST is not known, prudence indicates close observation of the neonate. This case demonstrates the value of fetal monitoring for the discovery, diagnosis and documentation of fetal arrhythmias during labor.