The effect of maternal ethanol intoxication on fetal cardiotocography: a report of four cases.

Fetal cardiotocography revealed no or poor variability and no reactivity to fetal movements and or external stimuli in four drunken women. This was taken as a sign of fetal hypoxia in one patient and led to emergency caesarean section although, the infant was not hypoxic. In the other three patients, cardiotocography normalized within 11-14 h when the mothers became sober.