Is portable foetal electrocardiogram monitor feasible for foetal heart rate monitoring of small for gestational age foetuses in the home environment.

Small-for-gestational-age (SGA) foetuses are at greater risk of complications than normal foetuses. Studies have demonstrated that foetal electrocardiogram (ECG) device (Monica-AN24) can be employed for monitoring foetal heart rate (FHR). However, its reliability and acceptability has not been assessed in SGA foetuses. This study was aimed at: (a) determining the acceptability of wearing the device more than once, (b) investigating the reliability of acquiring successful FHR data at different gestation. Patients with singleton non-anomalous foetus >24 weeks gestation and an estimated foetal weight below tenth percentile were recruited. Thirty-five women wore the device once. Twenty-four of these wore second time (68.6%). Overall, success-rate of FHR signals was 48.6% and increased to 68.8% beyond 34 weeks gestation. Foetal ECG is a promising method for monitoring SGA foetus >34 weeks gestation. Compared to day recordings, foetal signals were more reliable at night. Further studies are required before its clinical utility can be ascertained. IMPACT STATEMENT What is already known on this subject? Pregnancies that are affected by small-for-gestational-age (SGA) foetus pose a major public health problem and are associated with increased perinatal morbidity and mortality. There is no consensus on the optimal timing of delivery. Current methods employed for monitoring SGA foetuses include ultrasound scans for foetal-biometry and Doppler assessments. However, they provide a snapshot of information on foetal well-being, restrict patient mobility and cannot be employed over long-time periods. It is plausible that ambulatory foetal-ECG device that enable monitoring over a longer time period may better inform decisions about the timing of delivery. What do the results of this study add? Trans-abdominal foetal-ECG is a promising method of monitoring SGA foetus in the home setting with a success rate of acquiring reliable foetal heart rate (FHR) data over 90% at night time. What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Overall, the study approved the concept of long-term home monitoring and has highlighted the facilitators and barriers to wearing the monitor in clinical care. These observations can be used to undertake robust research to assess the use of foetal-ECG monitor singly or in conjunction with current monitoring techniques for optimal foetal surveillance.

Women's experience of wearing a portable fetal-electrocardiogram device to monitor small-for-gestational age fetus in their home environment.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the acceptability, to women, of wearing a portable fetal electrocardiogram recording device at different stages of pregnancy and to gain insight into their experience of its use for long-periods of monitoring of small-for-gestational fetuses in the home environment. METHODS: A qualitative study using both a questionnaire and focus group involving women with singleton pregnancy >24 weeks gestation, no evidence of fetal malformation and an estimated fetal weight below 10th gestational centile on ultrasound scan. Fetal heart rate recordings were collected for up to 20 h. RESULTS: In total, 59 questionnaires were completed; 35 after wearing the monitor for the first time and an additional 24 from the women who wore the device for a second time. Six women participated in the focus group; the principal theme identified related to the practicality of the fetal electrocardiogram device. Other themes identified were the discomfort that resulted from wearing the monitor and the reassurance provided in knowing that the baby's heart rate was being monitored. CONCLUSION: Long-term ambulatory fetal electrocardiogram monitoring is an acceptable method of monitoring small-for-gestational fetuses. Overall, women concluded that benefits of wearing the device outweighed any discomfort it caused.