Physiologic basis of antenatal testing

J L Harris1

  • 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, King-Drew Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90059, USA.

Hypoxic injury accounts for approximately 20 to 40% of stillbirths in published autopsy series. Antepartum fetal testing modalities can discriminate between the fetus at risk for hypoxic injury and the normally oxygenated fetus. These modalities have resulted in a significant reduction in this category of stillbirths. The physiologic underpinning for the antepartum testing is reviewed with a brief discussion of the two major approaches to testing.

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