The Value of Cardiotocography for Evaluation of Fetal Condition and Outcome in Women Presenting with Less Fetal Movement

Objective: In this study our main goal is to determine the valueof cardiotocography for evaluation of fetal condition andoutcome in women presenting with less fetal movement.Method: This cross-sectional study was done at Department ofObstetrics and Gynaecology, Bangabandhu Sheikh MujibMedical University (BSMMU), Dhaka between June 2015 -December 2016. Where women >34 weeks’ gestation withsingleton pregnancies presenting during the study period withmaternal perception of less fetal movement (LFM) in the outpatient Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in BSMMU.Results: During the study, the mean age was found25.61±5.65 years varied from 19 to 38 years in normal CTGand 24.82±3.81 years varied from 19 to 38 years in abnormalCTG. Majority patients were primiparous in both groups (56.0%vs. 52.0%). More than half (52.0%) of the patients in normalCTG and a half (50.0%) in abnormal CTG patients were camefrom lower middle-income group family. Emergency caesareansection was 12.0% and 42.0% in normal and abnormal CTGrespectively. Emergency caesarean section was significantlyhigher in abnormal CTG. At 1-minute APGAR score £7 wasfound 94.0% babies in normal CTG and 78.0% in abnormalCTG. Needed resuscitation was 4.0% in normal CTG and22.0% in abnormal CTG. Admission to NICU 10.0% babies innormal CTG and 36.0% in abnormal CTG.Conclusions: Decelerations, tachycardia and non-reactive(absent of accelerations) were the more common types ofabnormal CTG. Emergency caesarean section, low APGARscore, needed resuscitation, admission to NICU and prolongedhospital stay were higher in abnormal CTG. CTG can becontinued as a good screening test of fetal surveillance but it isnot the sole criteria to influence the management of high-riskpregnancies.