title: Antepartum evaluation of the fetus and fetal well being.
abstract: Despite widespread use of many methods of antenatal testing, limited evidence exists to demonstrate effectiveness at improving perinatal outcomes. An exception is the use of Doppler ultrasound in monitoring high-risk pregnancies thought to be at risk of placental insufficiency. Otherwise, obstetricians should proceed with caution and approach the initiation of a testing protocol by obtaining an informed consent. When confronted with an abnormal test, clinicians should evaluate with a second antenatal test and consider administering betamethasone, performing amniocentesis to assess lung maturity, and/or repeating testing to minimize the chance of iatrogenic prematurity in case of a healthy fetus.
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA. erica_oneill@med.unc.edu
authors: Erica
authors: E
authors: O'Neill
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Thorp
mesh_terms: D015148:Cardiotocography; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death; D005316:Fetal Distress / Q000175:diagnosis; D005324:Fetal Movement; D005325:Fetal Organ Maturity; D005333:Fetus; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000196:embryology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D018566:Pregnancy, High-Risk; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000379:methods*; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000379:methods*