Fetal acoustic stimulation, an adjunct to external cephalic version: a blinded, randomized crossover study.
OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to determine whether fetal acoustic stimulation can improve the chance of successful external cephalic version in patients at 36 to 38 weeks' gestation with fetal midline spine position.


METHODS
A randomized, blinded crossover trial was performed. In this "N of 1" study, the patient served as her own control.


RESULTS
Twenty-six patients were enrolled in the study, and three were excluded due to engagement of the fetal breech. In the initial trial with fetal acoustic stimulation to the maternal abdomen, 12 of 12 (100%) changed position to spine lateral and 11 of 12 (92%) were successfully verted. In the control group (fetal acoustic stimulation to nurse's arm), none of 11 (0%) changed position to spine lateral and one of 11 (9%) were successfully verted (p < 0.0001). In the crossover trial eight of 10 (80%) of the original placebo (control) patients were successfully verted after fetal acoustic stimulation to the maternal abdomen and none of 1 (0%) from the original treatment group were successfully verted after placebo fetal acoustic stimulation (p < 0.0001). Combined data from the original and crossover trials indicates 19 of 22 (86%) successful versions after fetal acoustic stimulation to maternal abdomen compared with one of 12 (8%) that had successful external cephalic version after placebo fetal acoustic stimulation.


CONCLUSIONS
Fetal acoustic stimulation shifts fetal position to spine lateral, which increases successful version of fetuses with midline fetal spine presentations.
Johnson
R L
RL
Phoenix Perinatal Associates, Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center, Mesa, AZ 85202, USA.
Elliott
J P
JP
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010919:Placebos; D011247:Pregnancy; D014710:Version, Fetal / Q000379:methods* / Q000451:nursing
D010919:Placebos