Evaluation of the cardiotocographic specificity in antepartum diagnosis

BACKGROUND: In last years, pregnancies and deliveries carefully monitorized, have led to perinatal mortality decrease. The more common diagnostic method used to point out fetal distress is cardiotocography, which is carried out as a routine screening during pregnancy and labor. The importance of cardiotocography, the limitations of this of measurement of fetal heart rate (FHR) are highlighted: no decrease in neurologic sequelae, positive and/or negative falses, dependence in interpretation on clinicians' experience. Our search aimed at checking the specificity of electronic fetal monitoring of fetal hearth rate at antepartum diagnosis moment. METHODS: 53 pregnant women in the third trimester of gestation period have been studied and the pregnancies results have been compared with specific women CTG trace and results of other diagnostic method (Ultrasound, Velocimetry). RESULTS: Analysing our data we find out that diagnostic methods of fetal distress, at present, are not significative. CONCLUSIONS: To sum up, it is possible to confirm that cardiotocography has a low specificity in fetal distress diagnosis, although it remains the most reliable method. In any case a global evaluation is necessary to monitorize pregnancy by means of clinical screening ordinary used.