HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by TEJANI, N. Articles by WEISS, R. R. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by TEJANI, N. Articles by WEISS, R. R.

Correlation of Fetal Heart Rate-Uterine Contraction Patterns With Fetal Scalp Blood pH

From the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Nassau County Medical Center. East Meadow. New York, and the Health Sciences Center, State University of New York at Stony Brook.

The significance of fetal heart rate-uterine contraction (FHR-UC) monitoring as a means of predicting the condition of the fetus during labor was studied by correlating 460 fetal pH determinations obtained from 216 patients with the analysis of the 20-minute FHR-UC record preceding the fetal scalp blood sample. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses of the FHR-UC record were performed. The results indicate a less than 10% chance of fetal pH 7.250 with a normal baseline FHR and no periodic changes or with periodic accelerations, early decelerations, and uncomplicated baseline bradycardia or tachycardia. Variable or delayed decelerations with a total surface area (TSA) of 1–100 for the 20-min period were associated with a fetal pH 7.250 in 23 and 34% of cases, respectively. Variable or delayed decelerations with a TSA > 100 had a 35 or 47% chance of fetal pH 7.250. It is concluded that FHR-UC monitoring can be used to screen the innocuous from the ominous periodic change but that fetal scalp blood pH must be obtained to identify accurately the true from the false-positive ominous pattern.