Antepartum heart rate testing in diabetic pregnancy.

Fetal death in utero remains a significant contributor to diabetics' perinatal mortality despite the reassuring results of antepartum heart rate testing. We retrospectively reviewed 48 pregnancies (one set of twins) of class B-F diabetic women with a reactive nonstress test (NST) or a negative contraction stress test (CST) within one week of delivery. Four fetal deaths occurred four to seven days after the test; no fetal deaths occurred within three days of it. We advocate initial screening with the NST, followed by a CST if the NST is nonreactive. Testing should be done more often than weekly.