CARDIOTOCOGRAPHY

The cardiotocography (CTG) is more commonly knows aselectronic fetal monitoring (EFM). A cardiotocography measures the fetal heart and the frequencyof uterine contractions. Using two separate disc shaped transducers. Objectives: The objectiveof this study is to co-relate the intrapartum cardiotocography monitoring with fetomaternaloutcome. Study Design: Cross sectional analytical study. Setting: Department of Obstetricsand Gynaecology, Shaikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan. Period: From September 2012 toMarch 2013 (Six Months). Patient & Method: Total 60 patients (pregnant females) fulfilling theinclusion criteria were selected for this study, who were admitted in labour room in early andactive labour. In group A normal CTG monitoring and in Group B women with abnormal CTGmonitoring. Maternal outcomes in terms of mode of delivery and fetal outcome (APGAR Score,neonatal seizures, admission to nursery and time of neonatal discharge were seen). Result: Themean age in group A was 26.13+3.90 years and in group B was 26.53+4.17 years. The meangestational age in group A was 38.40+1.50 weeks and in group B was 36.60+1.59 weeks. Ingroup A, 25 (83.3%) woman were delivered through spontaneous vaginal birth and 4(13.4%)women, who were delivered by caesarean section (for all indication except fetal distress), 1(3.3%) woman by assisted vaginal birth (for all other indications). In group B there were 7(23.8%)women who delivered through spontaneous vaginal birth. 3(10%) women by assisted vaginalbirth (for abnormal CTG monitoring) and 20(66.7%) women by caesarean section (for abnormalCTG). In group A, there were 7(23.3%) neonates who were admitted in nursery, while in groupB, there were 19(63.3%) neonates, who were admitted in nursery. Conclusion: Intrapartumexternal fetal cardiotocography is not a single indicator of fetal distress. An increased caesareansection rate in babies with a pathological cardiotocography stresses on the need for additionaltests to differentiate hypoxic fetuses from non-hypoxic.