Evaluation of the Active Nursing Management on the Nonreactive Nonstress Test of Antenatal Mothers Above 32 Weeks of Gestation

Abstract

Introduction: Nonstress test (NST) is a part of routine monitoring of pregnant women before delivery. It is the most common and significant test performed for assessing the well-being of the fetus by observing the fetal heart rate and its acceleration in response to fetal movement. Objective: To evaluate the active nursing management on the nonreactive NST of antenatal mothers above 32 weeks of gestation. Material and Methodology: A descriptive study was conducted at an obstetrics and gynecology OPD of a tertiary care teaching hospital in Chandigarh, India, for a period from October to December 2020. Ethical approval was obtained from the Institute Ethics Committee, PGIMER, Chandigarh. The total sample for the study includes 60 antenatal mothers above 32 weeks of gestation, who were enrolled by enumeration sampling technique. The tools used for collecting the data were as follows: (1) interview schedule that comprised of (a) sociodemographic profile and (b) obstetric profile, and (2) NST graph and pro forma to record the result of NST. The NST was performed in the left lateral position for 20 min and extended to 40 min if desired results were not obtained. Antenatal mothers with nonreactive NST were given active nursing management, such as having breakfast/juice and ambulation/walking around. Again, a half-hour later, NST was repeated. A Philips Avalon FM 30 fetal monitor was used to record all the NST tracings. The results obtained were evaluated by the same obstetrician and gynecologist. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 20. Result: Findings revealed that the majority (85%) of the antenatal mothers had a reactive NST, whereas 10% of antenatal mothers had a nonreactive NST. Out of the 6 (10%) antenatal mothers who were nonreactive, five antenatal mothers were changed into reactive NST after the active nursing management, i.e., maternal ambulation, having breakfast/juice for hydration after half-hour elapsed, whereas one antenatal mother who remained nonreactive NST was referred to a clean labor room after an abnormal ultrasound biophysical profile result by the obstetrician and gynecologist for induction of labor. Conclusion: It is concluded that NST is a significant test to prevent stillbirth. Active nursing management, such as maternal ambulation, well-fed, and well hydration, of the antenatal mothers can change the nonreactive NST to a reactive NST result.