Contraction stress test for antepartum fetal evaluation

Area of Science:

• Perinatal medicine
• Obstetrics
• Fetal monitoring

Background:

• Assessing fetal well-being before labor is crucial for high-risk pregnancies.
• The contraction stress test (CST) evaluates fetal heart rate response to uterine contractions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the reliability of the contraction stress test (CST) in assessing fetal reserve prior to labor.
• To evaluate the predictive value of CST results for fetal tolerance of labor.

Main Methods:

• The CST was performed 189 times on 120 high-risk patients (hypertensive disorders or post-term gestation).
• Testing involved external fetal heart rate monitoring and tocography during spontaneous or induced contractions.
• Tests were conducted weekly from 34 weeks' gestation and not used for clinical management.

Main Results:

• A negative CST was a reliable indicator of fetal ability to tolerate labor within one week.
• A positive CST suggested increased fetal risk, but fetal demise was not necessarily imminent.
• The maximum number of tests per patient was 8.

Conclusions:

• The CST shows promise as a tool for assessing fetal reserve in high-risk pregnancies.
• Further controlled studies are warranted to confirm the CST's impact on improving perinatal outcomes.