ABOELLAIL Mohamed, 金西 賢治, 森 信博, モハメド オスマン, 秦 利之

Mohamed ABOELLAIL, Kenji KANENISHI, Nobuhiro MORI, Osman MOHAMED, Toshiyuki HATA

¹香川大学医学部母子科学講座周産期学婦人科学, ²Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sohag University School of Medicine

¹Perinatology and Gynecology, Kagawa University Graduate School of Medicine, ²Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sohag University School of Medicine

キーワード :

【Objective】
To evaluate the frequencies of fetal facial expressions in the third trimester of pregnancy, when fetal brain maturation and development are progressing in normal healthy fetuses.
【Methods】
Four-dimensional（4D）ultrasound was used to examine the facial expressions of 111 healthy fetuses between 30 and 40 weeks of gestation. The frequencies of 7 facial expressions（mouthing, yawning, smiling, tongue expulsion, scowling, sucking, and blinking）during 15-minute recordings were assessed. The fetuses were further divided into three gestational age groups（25 fetuses at 30-31 weeks, 43 at 32-35 weeks and 43 at 36 weeks）. Comparison of facial expressions among the three gestational age groups was performed to determine their changes with advancing gestation.
【Results】
Mouthing was the most frequent facial expression at 30-40 weeks of gestation, followed by blinking. Both facial expressions were significantly more frequent than other expressions（P＜0.05）. The frequency of yawning decreased with the gestational age after 30 weeks of gestation（P = 0.031）. Other facial expressions did not change between 30 and 40 weeks. The frequency of yawning at 30-31 weeks was significantly higher than that at 36-40 weeks（P＜0.05）. There were no significant differences in other facial expressions among the three gestational age groups.
【Conclusions】
Our results suggest that 4D ultrasound assessment of fetal facial expressions may be a useful modality for evaluating fetal brain maturation and development. The decreasing frequency of fetal yawning after 30 weeks of gestation may explain the emergence of distinct states of arousal.