Home uterine activity monitoring in France: a randomized, controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
We assessed the effectiveness of ambulatory tocodynamometry in reducing the preterm delivery rate in women at risk of preterm delivery such as women with risk factors and women previously hospitalized and discharged.


METHODS
In four public maternity units these women were randomly allocated to two groups: 84 had home uterine activity monitoring and daily midwife contact and 84 were given the standard care for high-risk women, which generally includes home visits by community midwives.


RESULTS
The proportion of deliveries before 37 weeks' gestation was slightly higher in the monitored group than in the control group (32% vs 22%). The corresponding odds ratio was 1.7 (95% confidence interval: 0.9 to 3.5).


CONCLUSIONS
Although the sample was small, these results suggest that home uterine activity monitoring was probably not beneficial to the population studied, or at least that any benefit would have been too small to justify extending this monitoring in this high-risk population.
Blondel
B
B
Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology Research Unit, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Villejuif, France.
Bréart
G
G
Berthoux
Y
Y
Berland
M
M
Mellier
G
G
Rudigoz
R C
RC
Thoulon
J M
JM
D015148:Cardiotocography / Q000379:methods*; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D013566:Sympathomimetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014590:Uterine Contraction / Q000187:drug effects
D013566:Sympathomimetics