Signal quality of non-invasive fetal electrocardiogram in vaginal breech delivery: A case-controlled study

Objective: Recently, a non-invasive fetal electrocardiogram monitor has been approved for clinical usage in labour and delivery. To determine the fetal signal quality of vaginal breech deliveries in comparison with a case-controlled cephalic group during labour. Study design: This case-control study was carried out at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the University Hospital Frankfurt between 1st July 2012 and 30th September 2012. A total of seven breech deliveries were evaluated. A case-controlled cephalic group with same gestational age and parity were selected from a previous trial. Results: During first stage of labour, vaginal breech and cephalic delivery had no significant different fetal signal success rates (mean 87.8 vs. 85.7 %; p > 0.05). There was a trend of higher fetal signal success rates in the vaginal breech delivery group during second stage of labour (78.4 vs. 55.4 %; p = 0.08). Conclusion: Similar fetal signal success rates in vaginal breech delivery in comparison to cephalic presentation were demonstrated using the new commercially available non-invasive abdominal fECG device (the Monica AN24^TM).