The intensity of fetal movements vs. amnioscopy and cardiotocography in assessing fetal well-being [Intensidad de movimientos fetales vs. amnioscopia y cardiotocografía en la evaluación del bienestar fetal.]

Abstract

In 1989 at the Hospital Civil of Guadalajara we make a study with 100 patients with a term pregnancy, initial labor and alive fetus. At all women we practiced interrogatory about subjective intensity of fetal movements, amnioscopy and cardiotocographic registry and we compare results with Apgar score of the newborns at minute and five minutes. The fetal movements were normal in 91% of which 95.7% had Apgar score > or = 7 at minute and 98.9% Apgar score > or = 8 at five minutes; clear amniotic fluid in 75% of which 94.6% had Apgar score > or = 7 at minute and 100% had Apgar > or = 8 at five minutes and 94% with normal cardiotocographic registry of which 95.7% had Apgar score > or = 7 at minute and 100% had Apgar score > or = 8 at five minutes. In the distress fetal prediction, the best method was the cardiotocography and the worse was the meconial amniotic fluid. We conclude that the subjective intensity of fetal movements are similar in the well-being fetal prediction to the amnioscopy and cardiotocography and the physicians must use it in the obstetric care.