Terbutaline in the management of acute intrapartum fetal acidosis.

A beta 2-mimetic agent, terbutaline, was used before full cervical dilatation in 10 of 18 cases of fetal distress evidenced by fetal scalp blood pH (FSB-pH) less than 7.25. A reduction in uterine activity with an improvement in the fetal heart rate trace was seen in all the cases. In addition, a significant improvement in FSB-pH, when compared with umbilical artery pH (p less than 0.05), was noted whereas there was no significant change in the untreated cases. An Apgar score of less than or equal to 6 at five minutes occurred in two of eight untreated patients but not in any treated patients.