[Cardiotocographic changes after umbilical cord puncture and umbilical cord transfusion]

In connection with umbilical cord punctures and transfusions the degree of pathology still tolerable after these procedures as well as the influence on subsequent obstetric management has to be discussed. In a prospective study we evaluated 98 cordocenteses with (n = 44) and without (n = 54) transfusion (25-37 week of gestation). 30-160 ml of blood were transfused. In all cases the umbilical vein was punctured at the point of insertion into the placenta (46x posterior and 52x anterior wall placenta). A CTG was performed prior and after the punction and was evaluated according to the Fischer score. After the procedure, the course of pregnancy was normal in all puncture patients and in 52 of 54 patients who also underwent a transfusion. Because of a pathological CTG due to a severely hydroptic fetus, a caesarean section had to be performed in one woman seven hours after umbilical cord transfusion. In another patient an emergency section was necessary immediately after the umbilical cord transfusion, due to persistent fetal bradycardia. In the puncture group mean Fischer score values decreased from 9.1 to 7.5, in the transfusion. In another patient an emergency section was necessary immediately after the umbilical cord transfusion, due to persistent fetal bradycardia. In the puncture group mean Fischer score values decreased from 9.1 to 7.5, in the transfusion group from 8.6 to 7.4. The results were more unfavorable when amplitude and occurrence of accelerations were considered, especially in the transfusion group. In one fifth of the puncture cases and one fourth of the transfusion patients the criterium of baseline crossings improved after the procedure. In summary, a pathological CTG is to be expected after umbilical cord punctures and transfusions, with however, only the necessity of surveillance. Only in cases of persistent fetal bradycardia an active obstetric management is indicated.