Related Experiment Videos
Computerised analysis of the fetal heart rate and relation to acidaemia at delivery
B K Strachan1, D S Sahota, W J van Wijngaarden
1Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Human Development, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK.
Objective:
To identify the individual features of the computerised analysis of the cardiotocograph that relate to arterial pH and base deficit at delivery.
Design:
Retrospective observational study.
Setting:
Teaching hospital labour wards.
Participants:
679 women requiring continuous intrapartum fetal monitoring.
Methods:
Fetal heart and uterine contraction data were obtained using the Nottingham Fetal ECG monitor. Fetal heart rate patterns for the last half-hour preceding delivery were analysed using a computer algorithm developed for intrapartum application. The significance of the areas under receiver operator characteristic curves were calculated.
Main Outcome Measures:
Umbilical arterial pH and base deficit at delivery.
Results:
Three parameters, fetal bradycardia, total deceleration area and the deceleration area after a contraction had receiver operator characteristic curves that significantly predict a low umbilical arterial pH and base deficit at delivery (areas under receiver-operator characteristic curves = 0.53, SD 0.01 P = 0.03; 0.60, SD 0.03 P = 0.002; 0.62 SD 0.04 P < 0.001, respectively). Tachycardia, accelerations and variability did not.
Conclusions:
The individual components of the computerised analysis of the fetal heart rate that predict acidaemia at delivery are identified.