Intrapartum and neonatal outcome of screening non-stress test (NST) compared with no screening NST in healthy women at 40-40 (+6) weeks of gestation.

AIM: The aim of this study was to compare the intrapartum and neonatal outcome between screening non-stress test (NST) and no screening NST groups in healthy pregnant women at a gestational age of 40-40(+6) weeks.

METHODS

Healthy pregnant women, with a gestational age of 40-40(+6) weeks who had received antenatal care and delivered at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand, between 1 July 2011 and 31 March 2013, were included in the study. The treatment group consisted of women who had had screening NST while no NST screening had been performed in the control group. The primary outcome was intrapartum and neonatal outcome, which included stillbirth, the incidence of non-reassuring fetal heart, neonatal morbidity (meconium aspiration, respiratory distress, neonatal asphyxia) and neonatal mortality. Secondary outcome was the cost-effectiveness of the NST screening.

RESULTS

A total of 460 healthy pregnant women with a gestational age of 40-40(+6) weeks were included in the study. There were 228 cases in the NST screening group and 232 cases in the no NST screening group. There was no significant difference in the incidence of stillbirth, non-reassuring fetal heart, neonatal morbidity (meconium aspiration, respiratory distress, neonatal asphyxia) and neonatal mortality. The cost of NST plus neonatal care was higher in the NST screening group than the no NST screening group.

CONCLUSION

Routine performing NST at the gestational age of 40-40(+6) weeks has no benefit in intrapartum and neonatal outcome.