[Value of long-distance fetal heart rate monitoring on the pre-partum health care of the pregnant woman with umbilical cord loops].

OBJECTIVE

To explore the value of the long-distance fetal heart rate (FHR) monitoring on the pre-partum health care of self-monitoring at home for pregnant woman with the umbilical cord loops.

METHODS

The umbilical cord loops was diagnosed by ultrasonography. In the study group, 896 pregnant women with the umbilical cord loops accepted long-distance FHR monitoring and the count of fetal movement (FM) as family-self monitoring methods, while in the control group, 1 914 pregnant women with the umbilical cord loops used the count of FM only as family-self monitoring method. Abnormal non-stress test (NST), variable deceleration, fetal distress, neonate asphyxia, fetal death, stillbirth, operative delivery rate were analyzed between the study and control group retrospectively.

RESULTS

The incidence of NST reactive pattern and non- reactive pattern and the variable deceleration in long-distance FHR monitoring of the study group were significantly higher than those in routine FHR monitoring. The incidence of fetal distress in the study group (35.0%) was significantly higher than that in the control group (30.9%), while the incidence of neonatal asphyxia in the study group (3.5%) was significantly lower than that in the control group (5.6%). The incidence of outside hospital fetal death in the study group (0.1%) was significantly lower than that in the control group (0.8%). There were no significant differences of cesarean section rate, forceps or vacuum extractor delivery between the two groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggested that the high variable rate in the long-distance FHR monitoring curve was related to the incidence of the fetal distress. It didn't increase the cesarean section rate and vaginal operative delivery rate, but decreased the neonatal asphyxia and outside hospital fetal death rate. The long-distance FHR monitoring combined with the count of FM may be a better family-self monitoring method for the pregnant women with the umbilical cord loops.