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6 - Fetal monitoring

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 August 2009

Alexander Heazell
Affiliation:
University of Manchester
John Clift
Affiliation:
City Hospital, Birmingham
Justine Nugent
Affiliation:
Clinical Research Fellow, Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre, St Mary's Hospital and University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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Summary

Electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) primary screening test is a highly sensitive test detecting a disease with a low prevalence. The fetal heart rate (FHR) trace or cardiotocograph (CTG) has five recognisable features: uterine activity, baseline FHR, baseline variability, accelerations and decelerations. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines on EFM recommend that a CTG or FHR trace is classified into one of three groups: normal, suspicious or pathological based on the presence of reassuring and non-reassuring features. Fetal blood sampling (FBS) is used to identify compromised fetuses that need immediate delivery from those that are fine. There is a need for a monitoring system with a high specificity and sensitivity for detecting fetal acidosis and allowing timely and appropriate intervention without putting the fetus at risk. Currently, systems being researched include fetal ECG analysis and fetal oxygen saturation monitoring.
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Chapter
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Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2008

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  • Fetal monitoring
    • By Justine Nugent, Clinical Research Fellow, Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre, St Mary's Hospital and University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
  • Alexander Heazell, University of Manchester, John Clift
  • Book: Obstetrics for Anaesthetists
  • Online publication: 21 August 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511544569.008
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  • Fetal monitoring
    • By Justine Nugent, Clinical Research Fellow, Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre, St Mary's Hospital and University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
  • Alexander Heazell, University of Manchester, John Clift
  • Book: Obstetrics for Anaesthetists
  • Online publication: 21 August 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511544569.008
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Fetal monitoring
    • By Justine Nugent, Clinical Research Fellow, Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre, St Mary's Hospital and University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
  • Alexander Heazell, University of Manchester, John Clift
  • Book: Obstetrics for Anaesthetists
  • Online publication: 21 August 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511544569.008
Available formats
×