Acceleration of fetal head induced by vibration of maternal abdominal wall in sheep.

Abstract

The human body is often exposed to significant vibration stress in the workplace, at home, and during recreational activities. The current study was designed to evaluate whether low- to midfrequency vibrations present at the extraabdominal wall would be attenuated across this wall and what the levels of exposure would be once these vibrations reached the fetal head. Four pregnant sheep were instrumented with acceleration transducers to obtain acceleration levels at the extraabdominal and intraabdominal walls and at the fetal head. Sine-wave vibration stimulation was applied over a frequency range of 3 to 150 Hz at a constant acceleration level of 2.5 m/sec2 (root-mean-square). Vibration of the extraabdominal wall resulted in a frequency-dependent rise in vibration levels at the intraabdominal wall, from 4% to 140% of the input level. At the fetal head a broad peak in response was noted between 6 and 12 Hz, but the overall levels never exceeded 4% of the input level. Fetal exposure to localized vibratory stimulation of the maternal abdomen is maximal in the range of 6 to 12 Hz.