Effective Care Research Unit, Cecilia Makiwane Hospital, East London Hospital Complex, East London, E Cape, United Kingdom; School of Child and Adolescent Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa
Mangesi, L., Effective Care Research Unit, Cecilia Makiwane Hospital, East London Hospital Complex, East London, E Cape, United Kingdom; Hofmeyr, G.J., Effective Care Research Unit, Cecilia Makiwane Hospital, East London Hospital Complex, East London, E Cape, United Kingdom; Woods, D.L., School of Child and Adolescent Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa
Objective. To assess which of three different methods of monitoring the fetal heart in labour was preferred by labouring women. Method. Ninety-nine women in the first stage of labour were enrolled into a prospective clinical study to compare their preference for fetal monitoring with a Pinard fetal stethoscope, an innovative wind-up Doppler ultrasound fetal heart rate monitor, and cardiotocography. Result. Significantly more women preferred the fetal heart rate monitor to the other two methods (p=0.001). Conclusion. Intermittent auscultation of the fetal heart during labour with a fetal monitor is more acceptable to labouring women than monitoring with a Pinard fetal stethoscope or a cardiotocograph.