title: Fetal short time variation during labor: a non-invasive alternative to fetal scalp pH measurements?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether short time variation (STV) of fetal heart beat correlates with scalp pH measurements during labor.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 1279 deliveries, 197 women had at least one fetal scalp pH measurement. Using the CTG-Player, STVs were calculated from the electronically saved cardiotocography (CTG) traces and related to the fetal scalp pH measurements.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no correlation between STV and fetal scalp pH measurements (r=-0.0592).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fetal STV is an important parameter with high sensitivity for antenatal fetal acidosis. This study shows that STV calculations do not correlate with fetal scalp pH measurements during labor, hence are not helpful in identifying fetal acidosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Witten/Herdecke School of Medicine, Marien-Hospital, Witten, Germany.
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schiermeier
authors.forename: Joscha
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reinhard
authors.forename: Hendrike
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hatzmann
authors.forename: Ralf C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
authors.forename: Gregor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Westhof
mesh_terms: D000138:Acidosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015148:Cardiotocography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000378:metabolism; D005311:Fetal Hypoxia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D005323:Fetal Monitoring / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006340:Heart Rate, Fetal / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D007744:Obstetric Labor Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012535:Scalp; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult