Intrapartum fetal intensive care: 2-year experience.

Abstract

Summary: Reappraisal of 2,279 electronically‐monitored labours in the fetal intensive care unit enabled the formation of a policy for the management of high risk pregnancies in labour. In the presence of meconium, major cardiotocographic heart rate abnormalities were as predictive of perinatal outcome as fetal acidosis (pH < 7.25). However, fetal scalp pH estimation did significantly reduce the incidence of Caesarean section for fetal distress. The perinatal mortality in the study was 1.32 per 1,000 births.