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To determine whether analysis of fetal electrocardiograms (ECGs) can improve the specificity of conventional intrapartum fetal monitoring (measurement of fetal heart rate and uterine contractions), investigators conducted a meta-analysis of five randomized controlled trials designed to evaluate the effects of adding ST-waveform analysis to standard cardiotocography. More than 15,000 women with singleton cephalic pregnancies beyond 34 weeks' gestation were included. All studies took place in Europe.
Results indicated that ST analysis of the fetal ECG is safe, and that adding this form of monitoring to cardiotocography is associated with lower risk for operative vaginal deliveries and less need for fetal blood sampling. Although most individua…