#stitch with @starlee2 on TT.
Did you have a fetal scalp electrode placed during your labor?
Neonatal complications associated with use of fetal scalp electrode: a retrospective study, PMID: 26643181
Fetal scalp electrode (FSE) is a spiral wire placed directly on the fetal scalp. Baseline variability can be assessed more reliably with the FSE than with Doppler from external monitoring, as sometimes the signal from the latter is difficult to time accurately. Fetal scalp electrode plays a key role in intrapartum fetal surveillance when there is a non-reassuring fetal heart rate (FHR) tracing or when external FHR monitoring is difficult due to maternal body habitus or excessive fetal movement. It is estimated that FSE is used in 20% of the U.S. obstetrical population.
FSE application was associated with a small increased risk of scalp injury due to birth trauma, cephalohematoma, and neonatal sepsis, even after adjusting for patient factors and obstetric complications including mode of delivery.
Our results support the findings of previous smaller studies. Ashkenazi et al. performed a study of 535 infants in 1985 and found that FSE was associated with a 1.3% rate of scalp ulcers which is similar to the 1.2% rate in our cohort. These authors reported a high incidence of scalp laceration associated with FSE (41%). However, most of the lacerations were described as transient superficial (21%) or superficial laceration present at discharge (19%), and severe laceration (scalp ulcer) occurred only in 1.3%.
Our study found a slightly increased risk of neonatal complications associated with the application of FSE. The risks were reassuringly very low, and were not increased with operative vaginal delivery. Our findings support the use of FSE when it is clinically indicated.
#pregnancy #pregnant #birth #childbirth #laboranddelivery #fetalscalpeletrode #obgyn #laboranddeliverynurse
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I am a double board certified ObGyn and Maternal-Fetal Medicine specialist focusing on the care of people with maternal and/or fetal complications of pregnancy. I discuss hot topics related to fertility, pregnancy and the postpartum period, and do a little myth-busting and fact-checking to keep things real! Not only am I a doc, but I was also a patient who had infertility, a high-risk twin pregnancy and preterm delivery, and NICU stay at age 43 as a first-time mom--so I GET IT! Leave requests for new topics in comments!
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