Recent research in fetal sheep indicates that existing CTG technology may overlook critical heart rhythm abnormalities due to low oxygen levels. Further studies are necessary for validation.
The post examines the misconception that early decelerations in fetal heart rate indicate head compression and normal oxygen levels, tracing this belief to Edward Hon’s research in the 1950s, and unconsented experimentation on women. Newer studies suggest these decelerations may signal hypoxia, revealing flaws in current fetal monitoring guidelines.
The paper investigates the relationship between umbilical cord size and fetal heart rate patterns during labor. Findings suggest that less Wharton’s jelly correlates with repetitive heart rate decelerations. However, misconceptions about fetal decelerations and their impact on fetal health were noted, along with a lack of evidence for suggested monitoring interventions.
Does CTG misinterpretation harm babies? Or is something else going on?
Professor Susan Bewley is a professor of obstetrics with an interest in a great many things. I first became aware of her work many years ago, when I saw her writing about the potential links between the timing of cord clamping, cord blood pH testing, fetal monitoring methods, and perinatal outcomes. Susan recently challenged me to summarise the issues in a blog post – so here we go! Setting the […]
When you have been using a test for years and years, you assume someone way back at the beginning did some pretty decent research to determine what numbers are “normal” and a sign of good health, and what numbers are “abnormal” and a sign of poor health. But is that always the case? Why do we test cord blood acid levels? The testing of fetal and neonatal blood acid levels […]
Can you accurately guess fetal blood pressure from the heart rate pattern? #AI #CTG #EFM #FetalMonitoring #Physiology #Sheep
What is the relationship between maternal stress and fetal heart rate patterns? And what does this mean for maternity care?
Maternal #anaemia reduces the incidence of abnormal #CTG patterns. That’s a surprise!
If we don’t understand physiology, we don’t know what we are doing when we are monitoring the fetus. What’s the latest on physiological control of the fetal heart rate?
Birth Small Talk 