Conservative management of prolonged pregnancy using fetal heart rate monitoring only: a prospective study.
Eighty patients with prolonged pregnancy were managed conservatively using outpatient non-stress testing as the only form of fetal monitoring; there was no excess perinatal mortality or morbidity. The 'at risk' fetus appeared to be predominantly within the 'postmature' group who pass meconium. Non-stress testing using this rigid regimen was an excellent screening test to identify the 'at risk' fetus and in this study had a zero false-negative rate. Probably only one in 20 post-term infants require induction for fetal indications.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D005318:Fetal Heart / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005323:Fetal Monitoring; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007233:Infant, Postmature; D008470:Meconium; D011247:Pregnancy; D011273:Pregnancy, Prolonged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012306:Risk