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Signal quality of non-invasive fetal electrocardiogram in vaginal breech delivery: a case-controlled study
Nicole Sänger1, Frank Louwen, Joscha Reinhard
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University Frankfurt am Main, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Objective:
Recently, a non-invasive fetal electrocardiogram monitor has been approved for clinical usage in labour and delivery. To determine the fetal signal quality of vaginal breech deliveries in comparison with a case-controlled cephalic group during labour.
Study Design:
This case-control study was carried out at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the University Hospital Frankfurt between 1st July 2012 and 30th September 2012. A total of seven breech deliveries were evaluated. A case-controlled cephalic group with same gestational age and parity were selected from a previous trial.
Results:
During first stage of labour, vaginal breech and cephalic delivery had no significant different fetal signal success rates (mean 87.8 vs. 85.7 %; p > 0.05). There was a trend of higher fetal signal success rates in the vaginal breech delivery group during second stage of labour (78.4 vs. 55.4 %; p = 0.08).
Conclusion:
Similar fetal signal success rates in vaginal breech delivery in comparison to cephalic presentation were demonstrated using the new commercially available non-invasive abdominal fECG device (the Monica AN24(TM)).
