Vibroacoustic stimulation compared with the nonstress test at 26 to 33 weeks gestation

Gonen Ohel*, Oded Fisher, Meir Ruach, Nechama Linder

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

To study the possible contribution, if any, of vibratory acoustic stimulation in reducing the incidence of falsely abnormal nonstress tests in very premature fetuses. Methods: One-hundred and sixty women at gestational ages between 26 and 33 completed weeks (20 women at each week of gestation) were included in the study. In each case, 60 min of fetal heart rate recordings were obtained, at the end of which vibroacoustic stimulation was applied over the maternal abdomen overlying the fetal head. The fetal heart rate traces were observed for spontaneous and vibratory acoustic evoked fetal heart rate accelerations. For each gestational age group a comparison was made between the rates of reactive nonstress tests and vibratory acoustic induced reactivity. Results: Vibroacoustic stimulation almost doubled the number of reactive tests in pregnancies of 26-31 weeks gestation to an incidence of 50% reactivity at 26-27 weeks and more than 90% at 28-31 weeks (statistically significant differences). At 32-33 weeks, spontaneous reactivity was seen in 95% of cases and evoked reactivity in all cases. Conclusions: The addition of vibroacoustic stimulation to the nonstress test at 28-31 weeks gestation reduces significantly the number of nonreactive tests, and thereby the need for other complementary tests of fetal well being.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)65-67
Number of pages3
JournalJournal of Maternal-Fetal Investigation
Volume7
Issue number2
StatePublished - 1997
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Fetal surveillance
  • Nonstress test
  • Prematurity
  • Vibroacoustic stimulation

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Vibroacoustic stimulation compared with the nonstress test at 26 to 33 weeks gestation'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this