[The survey on the perinatal variables and the incidence of cerebral palsy for 12 years before and after the application of the fetal monitoring systems].

The effects of electrical fetal monitoring such as cardiotocogram (CTG) and nonstress test (NST) were studied during the years 1975-86 in 6,981 cases (6,893 singletons, 41 twins and 2 triplets). These cases were divided into three groups according to the mode of fetal monitoring. The first group was managed without electrical fetal monitoring (control group). The second was managed mainly with intrapartum fetal monitoring (transitional group) and the third was managed with antepartum and intrapartum fetal monitoring (fully monitored group). The incidence of cerebral palsy (CP) was investigated at the social health center during the same period. The introduction of intrapartum fetal monitoring resulted in a reduction in neonatal asphyxia from 7.0% in the control group to 5.2% and 4.3% in the transitional group and fully monitored group respectively. The perinatal mortality rate showed a significant reduction from 0.61% in the period without antepartum fetal monitoring to 0.31% in the fully monitored group, and this was attributed to the significant reduction in the number of stillbirths. The incidence of CP in the district decreased from 2.2 to 0.2 per 1,000 children during the period studied. In these circumstances, the caesarean section rate increased from 7.0% in the control group to 11.8% in the transitional group but decreased to 9.8% in the fully monitored group. These results showed the clinical and social benefits of electrical fetal monitoring.