Physiologic basis of antenatal testing

Hypoxic injury accounts for approximately 20 to 40% of stillbirths in publi shed autopsy series. Antepartum fetal testing modalities can discriminate b etween the fetus at risk for hypoxic injury and the normally oxygenated fet us. These modalities have resulted in a significant reduction in this categ ory of stillbirths. The physiologic underpinning for the antepartum testing is reviewed with a brief discussion of the two major approaches to testing . Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol 11:571-575. (C) 1999 Lippincott Williams & Wilki ns.