A critical appraisal of fetal acoustic stimulation as an antenatal test for fetal well-being.

Fetal acoustic stimulation is becoming a common modality for antepartum testing. The purpose of this study was to review the available literature on the subject to establish whether safety and efficacy have been determined. Safety could not be substantiated. The frequency, intensity, duration, and number of stimuli varied greatly among publications. There is no uniform nomenclature to score test results, and even the definition of the fetal acoustic stimulation test is not uniform. Data on the efficacy of the test are limited. Before fetal acoustic stimulation becomes part of standard obstetric care, rigorous clinical testing is required.