oxytocin and Hemoglobinopathies

Over the last 4 years at Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical Center, Women's Hospital, clinical interest in antepartum fetal monitoring has increased considerably. As a result of approximately 1,500 tests in some 600 patients at high risk for placental insufficiency, we have reached several conclusions regarding the methods for antepartum fetal monitoring, criteria for interpretation of the results obtained, and the role of antepartum monitoring information in clinical management. In this paper, the results of "stress" monitoring (monitoring in the presence of uterine contractions) are presented. The term "oxytocin challenge test" is used in reference to "stressed" monitoring even though sometimes the contractions were spontaneous, or without oxytocin stimulation.

Topics: Cesarean Section; Electrocardiography; Estriol; Female; Fetal Death; Fetal Heart; Heart Rate; Hemoglobinopathies; Humans; Labor, Obstetric; Meconium; Monitoring, Physiologic; Obstetric Labor, Premature; Oxytocin; Phonocardiography; Placenta Diseases; Placenta Previa; Pre-Eclampsia; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications; Pregnancy in Diabetics; Pregnancy, Prolonged; Prenatal Diagnosis; Ultrasonography; Uterus