FETAL ACCELERATION DETERMINATIONS AND PERINATAL OUTCOME

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 25  (1) , 10-13
Abstract
The importance of a laboratory test, especially when used as a screening procedure, is its ability to accurately provide information which can be used in the clinical management of patients. The fetal acceleration determination (FAD) has been used by many clinical obstetric services to assess the fetus at risk and to avoid the cumbersome and expensive oxytocin challenge test (OCT). To determine the usefulness of this modality in assessing the high-risk obstetric patient, a retrospective study of FAD was performed on 264 patients. All tests were performed within 1 wk of delivery. Fetal outcome was measured by Apgar scores, fetal morbidity and mortality and length of nursery stay. Chi square row by column contingency analysis was performed and Bayes theorem was applied to the data to predict FAD specificity. The probability of false-positive and false-negative tests was high and no correlation with outcome was observed. Analysis of this data indicates that the FAD is of limited value in identifying the fetus at risk.

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