Clinical Study
The Regional Centralization of Electronic Fetal Heart Rate Monitoring and Its Impact on Neonatal Acidemia and the Cesarean Birth Rate
Table 1
The incidence of low pH values, perinatal deaths, and cesarean births before and after the introduction of FHR centralization.
| | | | Period 1 (before) | Period 2 (after) | Statistical significance |
| | All institutions () | Total deliveries | 4251 | 4888 | | | pH values missing | 25 | 10 | | | pH < 7.1 | 14 (0.33%) | 14 (0.29%) | ns | | Perinatal deaths at ≥37 w | 2 | 3 | ns | | Antepartum deaths | 1 | 2 | ns | | Intrapartum deaths | 1 (abruption) | 0 | ns | | Neonatal deaths | 0 | 1 (Potter syndrome) | ns | | CS due to NRFS | 260 (6.1%) | 265 (5.4%) | ns | | Total CS | 1082 (25.5%) | 1219 (24.9%) | ns |
| | Secondary hospitals () | Total deliveries | 782 | 842 | | | pH < 7.1 | 3 (0.38%) | 7 (0.83%) | ns | | pH 7.1–7.2 | 22 (2.8%) | 39 (4.6) | ns | | CS due to NRFS | 109 (13.9%) | 93 (11.0%) | ns | | Total CS | 404 (51.7%) | 412 (48.9%) | ns |
| | Primary hospitals () | Total deliveries | 3469 | 4046 | | | pH < 7.1 | 12 (0.35%) | 7 (0.17%) | | | pH 7.1–7.2 | 49 (1.4%) | 68 (1.7%) | ns | | CS due to NRFS | 151 (4.4%) | 172 (4.3%) | ns | | Total CS | 678 (19.5%) | 807 (19.9%) | ns |
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CS, cesarean section; NRFS, nonreassuring fetal status.
Including 1 intrapartum fetal death of abruption.
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