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Domiciliary Fetal Monitoring in a District Maternity Unit
Author(s) -
Moore Kate H.,
Sill Richard
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.734
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1479-828X
pISSN - 0004-8666
DOI - 10.1111/j.1479-828x.1990.tb03193.x
Subject(s) - medicine , fetal monitoring , cardiotocography , caesarean section , obstetrics , fetus , fetal heart rate , fetal heart , forceps , gestational age , pediatrics , pregnancy , surgery , heart rate , blood pressure , genetics , biology
Summary: Domiciliary Fetal Monitoring is a new technique which allows fetal heart rate monitoring from within a patient's home. The 30 minute cardiotocograph is transmitted by telephone, to a central labour ward computer, within 45 seconds. Of 522 domiciliary cardiotocographs performed on 100 consecutive patients, 356 (68%) were performed for suspected intrauterine growth retardation or reduced fetal movements. Thirty one (5.9%) recordings were abnormal; a repeat cardiotocograph in hospital was abnormal in 9 cases (1.3%); all such patients were delivered within 7 days. The induction rate for the study group was increased by a factor of 3.2 with respect to all hospital confinements; 49% of infants were small for gestational age (<10th percentile). Caesarean section and forceps delivery rates were the same for both groups. No stillbirths occurred in the study group. After the introduction of domiciliary monitoring, the number and duration of hospital admissions for fetal surveillance were reduced by 29% and 52% respectively.