A randomized study comparing two methods of performing the breast stimulation stress test.
Breast stimulation has been used as a method for inducing uterine activity during testing for fetal well-being. Practitioners using the breast stimulation stress test have employed a variety of methods to stimulate the breast, yet no one has determined the effectiveness of one method over another. A study was undertaken to test the efficacy and safety of two methods of breast stimulation: manual rolling of the nipple and application of moist, hot pads to the breast before stimulation. Fifty-four high-risk patients were randomly assigned to one of two study groups. Group 1 included patients who stimulated one bare nipple intermittently. Group 2 included patients who had moist, warm washcloths applied to the breasts for five minutes before breast stimulation. No differences, in terms of efficacy and safety, were found between the two methods of breast stimulation.
D000328:Adult; D001940:Breast / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005323:Fetal Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D006340:Heart Rate, Fetal; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D010812:Physical Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011897:Random Allocation; D014110:Touch; D014590:Uterine Contraction