title: [Fetal monitoring sub partu in West Germany. III. Associations].
abstract: If the number of births per year at a clinic is divided by the number of available cardiotocographs, a variable is obtained, designated Q, which reflects the electronic fetal monitoring situation: the larger Q is, the more births per cardiotocograph, and the less satisfactory is the fetal monitoring situation. The smaller Q becomes, the greater the probability that every fetus can be monitored sub partu. Q has an empirical distribution pattern. The median of Q is between 139 and 215 births per year and per monitor, depending on the size of the clinic. There is a significant relationship between the monitoring value Q and the percentage frequency of cesarean and forceps deliveries: the higher the potential monitoring capacity, i.e., the smaller Q is, the higher the number of cesarean and forceps deliveries of a clinic. Intensive monitoring therefore increases the number of surgical deliveries, though no drop in the unadjusted perinatal mortality rate was observed. No association could be established between Q and the risk of fetal acidosis - possibly due to a lack of data. The conclusion drawn from these data is that the theoretical and practical training of obstetricians and midwives in cardiotocography should be further intensified.
mesh_terms: D002585:Cesarean Section; D005260:Female; D005316:Fetal Distress / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005323:Fetal Monitoring / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005860:Germany, West; D006340:Heart Rate, Fetal; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D012306:Risk
vernacular_title: Zur Frage der fetalen Uberwachung sub partu in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. III. Mitteilung: Assoziationen.