PREDICTION OF FETAL DISTRESS AND POOR OUTCOME IN INTRAUTERINE GROWTH-RETARDATION - A COMPARISON OF FETAL HEART-RATE MONITORING COMBINED WITH STRESS TESTS AND DOPPLER ULTRASOUND

One hundred and three intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) pregnanci es were scheduled for pulsed Doppler ultrasound of the common carotid and the umbilical artery, non-stress and contraction stress tests (NST /CST) as well as vibro-acoustic stimulation tests (VAST). The last exa minations < 3 days before birth were compared by receiver-operator cha racteristics: Results of the resistance indices of fetal common caroti d/umbilical artery and NST were more predictive of later fetal distres s during labour, compared to CST and VAST (p < 0.001/ < 0.01). Similar results were found for the prediction of low pH and Apgar values, tho ugh differences were less pronounced. Our results suggest that stressf ul examinations should be abolished from mother and fetus in the super vision of IUGR.