[Fetal monitoring sub partu in West Germany. I. Basic data]

An inquiry was circulated among all Departments of Gynaecology and Obstetrics in West Germany and West-Berlin with regard to their procedure to effect foetal intensive-care management and monitoring, obstetrical management, and the results obtained. 58% of these Departments responded. With an average number of 55 beds, the annual birth rate is 628. A mean of 191 births are covered by one CTG unit, the scatter being 110-290 births per year and per unit (10th and 90th percentile). The mean incidence of Caesarean section is 11%, the mean incidence of forceps delivery 3.6%, and the mean incidence of extraction by suction 8.0%. An estimated 95% of all births are monitored via cardiotocography. 25% of all Departments use other monitoring methods as well, microanalysis of blood gas after Saling being by far the most prominent one (94%). Transcutaneous foetal pO2 measurement has been adopted by 8 centres only. 74% of the Departments are using CTG units recording beat-to-beat with a chart speed of 1 cm per minute (82.2%). Few (18%) Departments employ intrauterine pressure measurement for recording labour pains. Telemetry is used by 27.7% of the Departments. In most cases (72.9%) the cardiotocograms are jointly assessed by the physician and the midwife. From the obstetrician's point of view it would be desirable to achieve greater technical perfection of external monitoring methods, as well as further miniaturisation and computerisation of the CTG equipment.