Accuracy of intrapartum fetal blood gas analysis by scalp sampling: A retrospective cohort study

Determination of Foetal Scalp Blood Sampling pH as an Indicator of Loss of Foetal Well-Being in Women Undergoing Caesarean Section

Asphyxia during birth is one of the three leading causes of neonatal morbidity and mortality among newborns carried to term. The objective of this study was to evaluate the measurement of the foetal scalp blood pH as a measure of foetal status, evaluating: cord gases, meconium-stained fluid, APGAR score or the need for neonatal resuscitation in pregnant women undergoing caesarean sections. A cross-sectional study was carried out over a period of 5 years (2017-2021) at the Hospital de Poniente (southern Spain). A total of 127 pregnant women participated from whom a foetal scalp blood pH sample was taken and used to indicate the need for an urgent caesarean section. The results showed a correlation between the pH of the scalp blood and the pH of the umbilical cord artery, umbilical cord vein (Rho of Spearman arterial pH: 0.64, p < 0.001; Rho of Spearman venous pH: 0.58, p < 0.001) and the APGAR test one minute after delivery (Spearman's Rho coefficient of 0.33, p < 0.01). These results suggest that the foetal scalp pH should not be considered a foolproof method to indicate an urgent caesarean section. Foetal scalp pH sampling can be used as a complementary test, in conjunction with cardiotocography, to indicate whether an emergency caesarean section is necessary due to loss of foetal well-being.

Does continuous cardiotocography during labor cause excessive fetal distress diagnosis and unnecessary cesarean sections?

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to evaluate the perinatal outcomes of patients who were continuously monitored by cardiotocography (CTG) during the labor and experienced cesarean operation with a diagnosis of fetal distress.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This is a retrospective study in which records of the patients, who were diagnosed of fetal distress at Umraniye Training and Research Hospital, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Istanbul, Turkey, between January 2015 and October 2020 were collated. The statistical analysis was done using the Statistical Packagefor Social Sciences version 22 software (SPSS Inc., Chicago IL, USA).

RESULTS

Of the 32,338 deliveries in this study period, 13,077 (40.4%) deliveries were through caesarean section. A total of 1504 (11.5%) of the 13,077 caesarean sections were due to fetal distress within the study period. A total of 1301 (86.5%) babies were born with ≥7 Apgar score at the1st min of delivery. NICU admission rate was 11.2% and perinatal mortality was 0.1%. More so, in the low-risk pregnancy group, the rate of the babies were born with ≥7 Apgar score at the1st min of delivery was 93.7% and NICU admission rate 2.1% and no perinatal mortality was seen. In the patient group in which pregestational and gestational diseases complicating pregnancy were excluded, newborns with meconium-stained amniotic fluid had statistically significantly lower 1st and 5th-min Apgar scores compared to the group without meconium and higher NICU admission (p = .000, p = .004 and p = .000, respectively).

CONCLUSION

The diagnosis of fetal distress should not be made only with fetal heart rate changes in CTG because this causes excessive fetal distress diagnosis and many unnecessary cesarean operations. We believe that rate of cesarean sections will decrease to the desired levels with the routine use of a method such as CTG which is easy to apply, but more sensitive and specific in the diagnosis of fetal distress.

Differences in rate and medical indication of caesarean section between Germany and Japan

BACKGROUND

There are growing concerns about the increasing rate of caesarean section (CS) worldwide. Various strategies have been implemented to reduce the proportion of CS to a reasonable level. Most research on medical indications for CS focuses on nationwide evaluations. Comparative research between different countries is sparse. The aim of this study was to evaluate differences in the rate and indications for CS between Japan and Germany in 2012 and 2013.

METHODS

Comparison of the overall rate and medical indications for CS in two cohort studies from Germany and Japan. We used data from the German Perinatal Survey and the Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS).

RESULTS

We analyzed data of 1 335 150 participants from the German perinatal survey and of 62 533 participants from JECS and found significant differences between the two countries in CS rate (30.6% vs 20.6%) and main medical indications: cephalopelvic disproportion (3.2% vs 1.3%; OR: 2.4 [95% CI: 2.2-2.6]), fetal distress (7.3% vs 2.3%; OR: 3.4 [95%-CI: 3.2-3.6]), and past uterine surgery/repeat CS (8.4% vs 8.8%; OR: 0.9 [95%-CI: 0.9-1]).

CONCLUSION

There are differences in the rate and medical indications for CS between Germany and Japan at the population level. Fetal distress was identified as a medical indication for CS more often Germany than in Japan. Considering the substantial diagnostic uncertainty of electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) as the major indicator for fetal distress, it would seem to be reasonable to rethink CS decision algorithms.