Antepartum diagnosis of the "terminal" fetal state by cardiotocography.

Since 1969 it has been the policy of this department to perform regular cardiotocograms on all patients admitted during the antenatal period for severe hypertension, with or without proteinuria, and on those in whom poor intrauterine fetal growth was suspected. In five such patients where the fetus died in utero, beat-to-beat variation was reduced and late decelerations were observed. In a further twelve patients similar changes made delivery by elective Caesarean section appear advisable. Half of the infants so delivered had severe metabolic acidosis at birth.