title: Evaluation of nonstress fetal heart rate testing in multiple gestations.
abstract: Routine serial nonstress fetal heart rate testing was evaluated in 94 patients with multiple gestations (193 fetuses). Reactive testing was associated with an uncomplicated perinatal outcome in 89% of the cases. Nonreactive fetuses had a significantly higher incidence of perinatal morbidity, including fetal distress in labor (77.8%), asphyxia (48%), and intrauterine growth retardation (28%). Overall perinatal mortality (21/1000) was nearly comparable to that observed in singleton pregnancies. Nonreactive fetuses had a perinatal death rate that was more than six times that of the reactive ones (80/1000 versus 12/1000). Antepartum nonstress testing was found to be a highly reliable and predictive tool in the assessment of multiple gestations.
mesh_terms: D001034:Apgar Score; D005260:Female; D005318:Fetal Heart; D005323:Fetal Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D011272:Pregnancy, Multiple; D011379:Prognosis; D014427:Twins