Cardiotocography and diabetic pregnancy

Foetal monitoring in antenatal period and during labour is done to detect foetal distress and to take necessary action timely in order to improve perinatal outcome. Maternal awareness of foetal movement is routinely recommended in all pregnancies after 28 weeks gestation. In high risk pregnancies like diabetes, foetal growth restriction, macrosomia, additional means of foetal surveillance should be used like antenatal cardiotocography, non stress test, biophysical profile or Doppler studies. Diabetic mothers are at increased risk for sudden intrauterine foetal demise, thereby mandating the need of cardiotocography and ultrasound biophysical profile testing weekly or twice weekly in such patients. Foetal surveillance in diabetic patients in low resource settings demands for frequent antenatal visits and non stress test if possible. During labour also, there should be continuous electronic foetal monitoring in diabetic mothers in both first and second stages of labour for early detection of foetal hypoxic stre s and timely intervention.