Birth recorded in the MRI scanner

For the first time a birth was recorded in the MRI scanner

06/07/2012

At the end of 2010, researchers at the Berlin University Hospital Charité were able to record a birth in a magnetic resonance tomograph for the first time. The birth video, showing unique footage of the 24-year-old's mother's body, has now been released. The researchers hoped from the recordings, new knowledge about the birth process. Above all, she was interested in why about 15 percent of pregnant women come to a cessation of birth, which has a caesarean section result.

Magnetic resonance tomograph instead of delivery room
Nursing Christian Bamberg and his team celebrated a world premiere in late 2010, when little Dunkan was born. The birth proceeded without complications, proclaiming the clinic proudly after birth. Because the boy was not born in an ordinary delivery room but in an open magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The medics get so unique shots from the body inside the mother, which made the movements of the child in the birth canal visible.

For the first time, researchers published a video showing the one-time shots. The 24-second excerpt is in the current issue of the specialist magazine „American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology“ appeared and shows the stage of the birth, which was particularly stressful for the mother when she tried to squeeze out the child. Among other things, it can be seen that the baby's head deforms oblong to pass through the narrow birth canal.

For the unusual birth of the researchers chose instead of the usual tube an open MRI scanner, in order to provide the mother during the entire time optimally and touch. In addition, the woman was able to move during labor. As early as two years before birth, a working group began to develop a special monitoring monitor to measure the baby's heart sounds on MRI.

New scientific knowledge about the birth
The researchers promised new scientific knowledge about the birthing process. Of particular interest was, for example, why it comes in about 15 percent of pregnant women to birth. This requires a caesarean section, the researchers said.

Since the birth surgery is not without risks, doctors and parents usually prefer a natural birth. Thus, during the invasive procedure with anesthesia, there are complications with anesthetic side effects, thrombosis, wound infections, embolisms and bleeding. Several studies indicate that infants born after Caesarean section have more infectious diseases, allergies or asthma later in life. If a parent suffers from type 1 diabetes, the risk of the metabolic disease being transmitted to the child due to the cesarean birth is increased.

Before the spectacular birth recordings of the MRI, only X-ray images were available. The knowledge about the birth is based partly on assumptions from the 19th century, the researchers explained.

In addition to the new scientific findings, the MRI birth but also led to criticism. It was feared that the magnetic fields and sounds of MRI could harm the baby. In fact, the images are created by strong magnetic fields. In addition, a very loud noise is heard, so the mother had to wear headphones during birth. However, the device has been turned off to protect the child when the amniotic sac burst. Previously, his ears were protected by the amniotic fluid. (Ag)