title: Home labour induction with retrievable prostaglandin pessary and continuous telemetric trans-abdominal fetal ECG monitoring.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the feasibility of continuous telemetric trans-abdominal fetal electrocardiogram (a-fECG) in women undergoing labour induction at home.
  
  
  METHODS
  Low risk women with singleton term pregnancy undergoing labour induction with retrievable, slow-release dinoprostone pessaries (n = 70) were allowed home for up to 24 hours, while a-fECG and uterine activity were monitored in hospital via wireless technology. Semi-structured diaries were analysed using a combined descriptive and interpretive approach.
  
  
  RESULTS
  62/70 women (89%) had successful home monitoring; 8 women (11%) were recalled because of signal loss. Home monitoring lasted between 2-22 hours (median 10 hours). Good quality signal was achieved most of the time (86%, SD 10%). 3 women were recalled back to hospital for suspicious a-fECG. In 2 cases suspicious a-fECG persisted, requiring Caesarean section after recall to hospital. 48/51 women who returned the diary coped well (94%); 46/51 were satisfied with home monitoring (90%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Continuous telemetric trans-abdominal fetal ECG monitoring of ambulatory women undergoing labour induction is feasible and acceptable to women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Women's and Children's Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool Women's Hospital, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Zubair
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Rauf
authors.forename: Ediri
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stampalija
authors.forename: Florin P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Ilioniu
authors.forename: Tina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lavender
authors.forename: Zarko
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Alfirevic
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D005323:Fetal Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005333:Fetus / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007751:Labor, Induced / Q000379:methods*; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000502:physiology*; D010570:Pessaries; D011247:Pregnancy; D011453:Prostaglandins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013686:Telemetry / Q000379:methods*; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal
chemical_list: D011453:Prostaglandins