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ST analysis of fetal electrocardiography in labor

Amer-Wåhlin, Isis LU and Marsal, Karel LU (2011) In Seminars in Fetal & Neonatal Medicine 16(1). p.29-35
Abstract
Since its introduction more than 40 years ago, electronic fetal monitoring has become widely used for intrapartum surveillance to determine fetal wellbeing in labor. Although fetal hypoxia and acidosis are reflected in changes in fetal heart rate, there is no evidence that cardiotocography has been effective in reducing neonatal morbidity related to fetal distress occurring during labor. Indeed the specificity of this tool is poor and in many instances the incorporation of electronic fetal monitoring into intrapartum care has merely led to an increase in medical intervention rather than an improvement in neonatal outcome. Fetal electrocardiography (ECG) analysis provides an additional method for assessing the response of the fetus to... (More)
Since its introduction more than 40 years ago, electronic fetal monitoring has become widely used for intrapartum surveillance to determine fetal wellbeing in labor. Although fetal hypoxia and acidosis are reflected in changes in fetal heart rate, there is no evidence that cardiotocography has been effective in reducing neonatal morbidity related to fetal distress occurring during labor. Indeed the specificity of this tool is poor and in many instances the incorporation of electronic fetal monitoring into intrapartum care has merely led to an increase in medical intervention rather than an improvement in neonatal outcome. Fetal electrocardiography (ECG) analysis provides an additional method for assessing the response of the fetus to hypoxia and in particular to the development of metabolic acidosis. ST changes in the fetal ECG can be quantified with computational analysis, reducing subjective interpretation that has been problematic with traditional electronic fetal monitoring. Formal algorithms indicating appropriate points for intervention in labor have been designed. The fetal ECG has been shown to be a useful adjunct to traditional electronic fetal monitoring in several randomized controlled trials with evidence of reduced rates of neonatal encephalopathy and reduced rates of obstetric intervention. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. (Less)
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author
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organization
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Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Cardiotocography, Fetal blood sampling, Fetal ECG, Intrapartum, monitoring, Neonatal acidemia, Neonatal encephalopathy
in
Seminars in Fetal & Neonatal Medicine
volume
16
issue
1
pages
29 - 35
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000287108400005
  • scopus:78650562313
  • pmid:21115414
ISSN
1878-0946
DOI
10.1016/j.siny.2010.09.004
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
95d39259-c16a-4dc9-8eee-54b0c818e19e (old id 1876893)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:32:52
date last changed
2022-01-26 00:22:31
@article{95d39259-c16a-4dc9-8eee-54b0c818e19e,
  abstract     = {{Since its introduction more than 40 years ago, electronic fetal monitoring has become widely used for intrapartum surveillance to determine fetal wellbeing in labor. Although fetal hypoxia and acidosis are reflected in changes in fetal heart rate, there is no evidence that cardiotocography has been effective in reducing neonatal morbidity related to fetal distress occurring during labor. Indeed the specificity of this tool is poor and in many instances the incorporation of electronic fetal monitoring into intrapartum care has merely led to an increase in medical intervention rather than an improvement in neonatal outcome. Fetal electrocardiography (ECG) analysis provides an additional method for assessing the response of the fetus to hypoxia and in particular to the development of metabolic acidosis. ST changes in the fetal ECG can be quantified with computational analysis, reducing subjective interpretation that has been problematic with traditional electronic fetal monitoring. Formal algorithms indicating appropriate points for intervention in labor have been designed. The fetal ECG has been shown to be a useful adjunct to traditional electronic fetal monitoring in several randomized controlled trials with evidence of reduced rates of neonatal encephalopathy and reduced rates of obstetric intervention. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.}},
  author       = {{Amer-Wåhlin, Isis and Marsal, Karel}},
  issn         = {{1878-0946}},
  keywords     = {{Cardiotocography; Fetal blood sampling; Fetal ECG; Intrapartum; monitoring; Neonatal acidemia; Neonatal encephalopathy}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{29--35}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Seminars in Fetal & Neonatal Medicine}},
  title        = {{ST analysis of fetal electrocardiography in labor}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.siny.2010.09.004}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.siny.2010.09.004}},
  volume       = {{16}},
  year         = {{2011}},
}