Fetal heart rate monitoring by telephone during pregnancy--opinion of users and non-users of a new technology.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the opinions of obstetricians who currently use fetal heart rate monitoring (FHRM) by telephone with the opinions of obstetricians in favour of this technique, but who do not use it.


METHODS
A mail questionnaire was sent to the 612 members of a professional organization of obstetricians. The response rate was 76%.


RESULTS
Fourteen percent of the respondents used FHRM by telephone and 43% did not use it, but were in favour of it. Compared with current users, non-users who were in favour of this technique indicated a wider range of clinical indications for monitoring, considered a greater proportion of women to be eligible, and wanted more frequent monitoring. These differences cannot be explained by the characteristics of the obstetricians (age, type of practice or attitude towards FHRM performed in maternity unit).


CONCLUSIONS
Our survey shows a risk of extensive use of FHRM by telephone if this technique becomes easily accessible.
Blondel
B
B
Epidemiological Research Unit on Women and Children's Health, INSERM, Villejuif, France. Blondel@sinaps.vjf.inserm.fr
Pazart
L
L
Durieux
P
P
Breart
G
G
D005260:Female; D005323:Fetal Monitoring; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D018579:Patient Selection; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013689:Telephone