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Fetal phonocardiography--an adjunct to rural obstetrical practice
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, SA.
Cardiotocography as an aid to obstetric practice both in the antenatal and labour ward situations has become widely accepted throughout major hospitals in Australia. However, in rural obstetrics its use has been limited for two reasons: first, the cost of the necessary monitoring equipment is difficult to justify in a small hospital and secondly, obstetricians require considerable practice in the interpretation of the traces that are obtained. However, most country hospitals are equipped with Doppler-type fetal heart detectors. The signals that are received from these may be transmitted by telephone to a base hospital, whose cardiotocographic monitor has been modified to accept such incoming signals. This article discusses the establishment of such a service at Flinders Medical Centre, Adelaide and the results of its first four months of operation.
Cardiotocography as an aid to obstetric practice both in the antenatal and labour ward situations has become widely accepted throughout major hospitals in Australia. However, in rural obstetrics its use has been limited for two reasons: first, the cost of the necessary monitoring equipment is difficult to justify in a small hospital and secondly, obstetricians require considerable practice in the interpretation of the traces that are obtained. However, most country hospitals are equipped with Doppler-type fetal heart detectors. The signals that are received from these may be transmitted by telephone to a base hospital, whose cardiotocographic monitor has been modified to accept such incoming signals. This article discusses the establishment of such a service at Flinders Medical Centre, Adelaide and the results of its first four months of operation.