Obstetric early warning score in Scandinavia. A survey of midwives' use of systematic monitoring in parturients.

OBJECTIVE: systematic monitoring has recently been implemented widely in non-obstetric departments. In the UK, Early Warning Score (EWS) systems specifically designed for the obstetric population (OEWS) are used. No information on the use of OEWS in Scandinavia has been reported. Consequently, we wanted to investigate the use of vital signs and attitude towards systematic monitoring of parturients in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. DESIGN: electronic questionnaires sent to heads of midwifery. The heads of midwifery referred two clinically active midwives. All in-hospital obstetric departments in Scandinavia were invited to participate. FINDINGS: heads of midwifery from 76 departments (68%), and 125 clinical midwives (82%) responded. Ten per cent of midwives reported use of OEWS. Reported implementation barriers to OEWS included lack of evidence and suspected impact on the parturient due to frequent interruptions. fifty-four per cent of clinical midwives reported a systolic blood pressure threshold of 90-139mmHg, while 33% reported a threshold of>160mmHg. Ninety-three per cent stated a low threshold for maternal heart rate<60 bpm whereas 10% reported an upper threshold heart rate ≥ 150 bpm. Forty-seven per cent reported call for assistance thresholds for maternal heart rate at 60-110 bpm. KEY CONCLUSIONS: OEWS is not implemented in Scandinavian obstetric departments and reported thresholds of vital signs varied considerably. Major barriers for implementation in Scandinavia include midwives' concern of interruptions for the parturient and increased workload, and unclear benefit from use of OEWS. Local departments should provide midwives with unambiguous thresholds for vital signs in parturients either through local guidelines or via OEWS.

Future perspectives in intrapartum fetal surveillance.

Electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) has aided intrapartum fetal surveillance for more than four decades. In spite of numerous trials comparing EFM with standard fetal heart rate (FHR) auscultation, it remains unclear that this modality has led to improved perinatal outcomes, especially lower rates of perinatal morbidity and mortality. A variety of ancillary methods have been developed to improve the accuracy of EFM for predicting fetal compromise. At present, a limited number of studies have shown that the addition of fetal electrocardiogram (ECG) analysis to visual interpretation of FHR patterns resulted in better fetal outcomes. However, the shortcomings of visual interpretation of FHR patterns persist. Although automated systems for FHR analysis have been developed, they have not been widely used or proven to enhance the value of intrapartum fetal surveillance. This article discusses future directions for novel intrapartum fetal surveillance systems that leverage the long experience gained from EFM to enhance the level of risk assessment and prognosis.

The impact of noninvasive fetal evaluation: its effect on education, training, and the maintenance of clinical competence in prenatal diagnosis.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To highlight the evolution of prenatal diagnosis from invasive procedures to noninvasive assessments and to describe the efforts to educate both trainees and experienced physicians via simulation techniques. RECENT FINDINGS: The rapid development of noninvasive serum analyte screening as well as molecular genetic and sonographic techniques to evaluate the fetus has altered our ability to both educate trainees as well as to maintain physician competence to perform invasive procedures. Simulation-based learning is being incorporated into medical training across a broad range of specialties, including obstetrics and gynecology. SUMMARY: Prenatal diagnosis procedures will continue to be necessary for direct fetal assessment but on a much more limited scale. It is possible that all trainees will not be able to become competent in amniocentesis and other even less common procedures. Furthermore, experienced physicians may lose competence, given the lack of available procedures for skill retention. Innovative methods of skill acquisition and maintenance may be required in the near future. Although long-term assessments of efficacy are currently lacking, the introduction of comprehensive, simulation-based curriculia has the potential to both educate trainees and help maintain physician competence.

[Evolution of electronic fetal monitoring in labor]. / Evoluzione della cardiotocografia fetale in travaglio.

Intrapartum fetal hypoxia remains an important cause of neonatal permanent handicap and death, and in many cases it is related to lack of optimal fetal surveillance. In the last 40 years cardiotocography (CTG) has been routinely used for fetal monitoring yet this technique lacks reproducibility and its interpretation by healthcare professionals remains an important variable. Indeed, this technology not only does not improve clinically important outcomes, but also, on the contrary, leads to an increase in the number of caesarean sections carried out. Recent research has focused the attention on specific components of electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) tracings, such as ST-segment analysis (STAN) or fetal pulse oximetry (FPO). Fetal ST-segment analysis and pulse oximetry provide important parameters when used in addition to CTG, but their combined use obviously does not eliminate CTG interpretation limits. Although continuous electronic fetal monitoring is now ubiquitously utilized in modern practice, risks and benefits associated with its use are worth analysing. The analysis of the research and clinical practices carried out in the past several decades may provide useful insights into the current use of electronic fetal monitoring and new system associated procedures (STAN and FPO), which have influenced what has now become a routine modern obstetric practice.

Pregnancies exposed to methadone, methadone and other illicit substances, and poly-drugs without methadone: a comparison of fetal neurobehaviors and infant outcomes.

BACKGROUND: It is suspected that there is a continuum of impairment among prenatally drug-exposed infants, such that opioid and/or poly-drug exposure confers the highest risk for adverse neonatal outcomes than other classes of substances or single substance exposures. Suitable control groups are difficult to identify. This study compared fetal neurobehavioral development and infant outcomes in offspring of three groups of pregnant women in drug treatment. Exposure groups include: Methadone+other illicit substances (MM+Poly) and two groups currently abstinent for poly drug exposures: Methadone only (MM/A) and Non-Methadone (NM/A). METHODS: Forty-nine women (19 MM+Poly, 18 MM/A, and 12 NM/A) underwent fetal monitoring at 36 weeks gestation at peak and trough levels of methadone (MM+Poly; MM/A) or at comparable morning and afternoon times (NM/A). Fetal heart rate (FHR), heart rate variability (FHRV) and motor activity (FM) data were collected. Infant measures included birth outcomes and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) assessment. RESULTS: As compared to the NM/A group, cardiac measures were decreased in methadone-exposed fetuses at peak levels. FHR was significantly more suppressed in the MM+Poly group. FM was significantly lower in the MM/A vs. the NM/A group at both peak and trough, indicative of more persistent exposure effects. The MM+Poly group delivered 1 week earlier and required NAS pharmacological treatment twice as often as the MM/A group. CONCLUSIONS: Results support the notion that poly-drug exposure may potentiate the effects of methadone on the fetus and infant and highlights the need for intensified treatment for methadone-maintained women who abuse other substances.

Routine obstetrical interventions: research agenda for the next decade.

There are many interventions performed as a part of the active management of labor and birth that have remained unchanged over the years. Separating ritual from beneficial nursing care can guide the development of a research agenda. The agenda for the next 10 years can address some of the gaps remaining in the evidence-based foundation for routine interventions used during labor and birth. The gaps identify areas where unanswered questions prevent optimal care from occurring. These unanswered questions include optimal time for epidural administration; management of maternal movement during labor when routine interventions make this difficult; changing the practice of immediate, closed glottis coached pushing at 10 cm; continuous electronic fetal monitoring; routine administration of intravenous fluids; and finally, the use of oxytocin as augmentation or induction of labor.

Fetal phonocardiography--past and future possibilities.

The paper presents an overview of the 15 year long development of fetal phonocardiography including the works on the applied signal processing methods for identification of sound components. Based on the improvements achieved on this field, the paper shows that beyond the traditional CTG test the phonocardiography may be successfully applied for long-term fetal measurements and home monitoring. In addition, by indication of heart murmurs based on a comprehensive analysis of the recorded heart sound congenital heart defects can also be detected together with additional features in the third trimester. This makes an early widespread screening possible combined with the prescribed CTG test even at home using a telemedicine system.

[Disputes and history of fetal heart monitoring]. / Controversias e historia del monitoreo cardiaco fetal.

The concept of fetal heart monitoring to determine the fetal wellbeing state has been employed for almost 300 years, but in the last 50 years it has observed drastic changes due to the incorporation of the electronic devices that has started controversy since the moment of its description and point of start. The purpose of this article is to mention the key points and controversial moments in the history of the cardiotocography

Follow-up national survey (Sweden) of routines for intrapartum fetal surveillance.

We performed a follow-up national survey concerning intrapartum fetal surveillance in Sweden to investigate if routines had changed since a previous survey in 1999, due to new data that have emerged since and technical developments. All labor wards throughout Sweden, with sizes varying from around 350 to more than 9,000 deliveries per year, have at present a rather uniform policy for intrapartum fetal surveillance with electronic fetal monitoring (EFM). They all use admission tests, fetal scalp blood sampling and have written guidelines for EFM. However, only 72% have written guidelines for fetal blood sampling. In 89% of the units lactate is analyzed in the fetal blood sampling. In half of the units the STAN-monitor is used.

Surveillance during labour.

The technology of intrapartum surveillance made rapid strides from the 1960s through the 1980s but then stagnated as increasing resort to caesarean section was made rather than improving measures of fetal condition and labour progress. However, despite caesarean section rates commonly over 30%, medicolegally expensive mistakes continue to be made because it is difficult to teach clinicians to make reliable use of existing technology. It may be that as with aircraft navigation, the safest solution is to replace human judgement with the obstetric equivalent of automatic pilots.

Fetal monitoring during labor.

For three decades, cardiotocography has been the basic technique for fetal surveillance during labor, but its impact on fetal well-being remains controversial. The benefits and disadvantages of fetal monitoring with cardiotocography during labor are reviewed. Special reference is made to the possible effect on the rate of neonatal seizures in newborns and their long-term outcome.

A review and comparative analysis of recent advancements in fetal monitoring techniques.

Over the past few years, various devices and techniques have been developed for electronic fetal monitoring (EFM), which is performed during pregnancy or continuously during labor to ensure normal delivery of a healthy baby. We reviewed and analyzed the performance of currently used EFM techniques with the goal of determining a noninvasive, cost-effective alternative for use in the home environment. This review includes research papers, publications, web sources, product manuals, interviews, formal discussions, and other available literature with the goal of providing a comprehensive comparative analysis of all available EFM techniques. We relate some of the insights gained from reviewing a large number of resources.

Individualized growth charts for ultrasound measurements can significantly improve fetal monitoring.

OBJECTIVE: For monitoring pregnancies it is useful to reduce unnecessary examinations due to wrongfully assumed growth retardation in cases with a small fetal growth potential. It also makes sense to improve the detection of objectively retardated children in order to a disproportionately high growth potential. It was the aim of this study to modify the standard growth charts for ultrasound parameters according to parental influences to better display the individual growth potential. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In a prospective trial 1,390 ultrasound measurements of 174 completed pregnancies were observed. For all patients a standard questionnaire was conducted in which possible predictors for fetal growth were collected. Customizing the growth charts had been achieved by (1) calculating the general impact of parental factors on the ultrasound measurement values, (2) plotting the individual growth charts for each pregnancy and (3) analyzing the difference of every observed measurement from either unchanged normal values or customized growth charts. RESULTS: The obtained biparietal diameter measurements all in all are 291 mm closer to the individualized charts than to the unmodified charts. The total improvement of all thoracal diameter measurements was found to be 294 mm, the summarized advancement of all abdomen circumference values was 1,005 mm and the femur length measurements are 296 mm nearer to customized charts. All results were statistically significant. DISCUSSION: This is the first time the impact of several predictors on ultrasound growth charts had been analyzed. While other working groups have demonstrated the benefit of customizing the fetal weight and length, this concept had never been carried forward onto the growth charts for ultrasound values. The method to adjust the common mean values by so called 'modifiers' is derived from the mathematical concept of the sequential first-trimester screening for Down's syndrome. For customizing growth charts this approach seems to be useful as well. The feasability and the statistical benefit of customizing ultrasound growth charts has been demonstrated in this work. A larger study seems to be promising and should be performed. Further improvements could be obtained by using normal growth charts which were derived from the examined cohort.